Hutton Honors College

Some Obvious and Not So Obvious Items to Bring Along in August

More advice from Mercedes Rodriguez '03, a journalism major from Hialeah, Florida, who now writes for the Bloomington Herald-Times.

It's a sight that heralds the beginning of the year for most upperclassmen: vans and station wagons filled with excited freshmen and anxious parents clogging up the roads, carting in loads and loads of stuff destined for the dorms. Most freshmen will have the requisite microwave and shower flip-flops in tow, but there are a few things that aren't on the list of recommended items that should be brought anyways. Some kind upperclassmen have shared their suggestions as to what to bring.

Fashion plates may have a hard time fitting their whole wardrobe into the standard issue dorm closet and chest of drawers. The problem may be exaggerated if space has to be shared between roommates. One solution is to use wire hangers rather than plastic ones. "More hangers will fit if you use the wire ones because they're thinner." Says Honors College student Melanie Loewing of York, Pennsylvania. They may also be handy for re-enacting your favorite scenes from the classic film Mommy Dearest.

Extra noise comes with the territory when sharing a room and living in close quarters with 20 or 30 others. Phones will ring at all hours of the night, and the paper-thin walls are no protection against the blaring of a neighbor's stereo. Earplugs are the solution for some. "Bring them so you don't have to wake up at three in the morning when people in the hallway are screaming," says Kara Glennon, of Indianapolis, Indiana.

By the same token, you may be taken with country music, while your roommate loathes it and would rather have some Pantera playing in the room. "Bring headphones, so you can listen to your radio, in case your roommate doesn't like your music," says Stephanie Schultz from Rising Sun, Indiana. It would be worth investing in headphones with an extra-long cord, as to avoid being chained next to a desk or stereo while listening to music. Also, it's nice to be able to listen to loud music, even while someone is asleep in the bed five feet from you.

While things may be going well between floor mates and roommates, little things may happen. Posters will rip, shoes will have holes in them, and backpacks will fall apart. It's not always necessary to have a full set of power tools or a sewing machine on hand to fix these things. "Get duct tape. It fixes everything, and it's like the Force- light and dark," says Galicia Vaca, a senior from Dyer, Indiana. Duct tape does, indeed, fix everything. It can patch up an old book, leaky boots, holes in umbrellas, patch upholstery, and act as cheap weather stripping.

Tape works great in emergencies, but sometimes the obvious may be overlooked. Meal plans provide one with a sense of security regarding food. That may not always be true. "Get lots of canned food from home. When you're sick and don't feel like going out for food, you'll always have lots in your room," says Shelly Klein, a recent graduate from New Boston, New Hampshire. Canned goods are also handy for when all the cafeterias and food courts are closed, and there's no money to be had for pizza delivery.

One more obvious thing to bring is a television set. "Sometimes there's nothing to do in the dorms," says Hui Wen of Taiwan. There may not be anything to do, or perhaps the planned floor or residence activities aren't too appealing. That's when those without a television set begin kicking themselves.

Dorm life may have its ups and downs, but by being prepared, you won't find yourself going through very much discomfort.

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