Six Things I Didn’t Know I Couldn’t Live Without
So maybe “couldn’t live without” is a bit of an exaggeration. However, having theses things certainly made my first year of college much more comfortable and easy than it would have been without them. Obviously, this is not a complete list of what you need for college, but these are things that many students might overlook. In my case, they’ve proven just as useful as the obvious stuff.
For the dorm:
Electric fan
Rochester is known for its cold weather, but the River Campus is definitely visited by all four seasons. Rochester students arrive on campus in late August, which is still very much summertime. Last year, the first few weeks of school were extremely hot and humid and most of the dorms (and many other university buildings) lack air conditioning. The transition to college and dorm life is hard enough without lying awake at night, too hot to sleep. Bringing a fan to school or buying one when you get into town is definitely worth the investment. I was certainly thankful for mine.
Area rug
Freshman dorms have tile floors that are cold and can be difficult to keep clean of dust. In addition to solving these two problems, an area rug can make a dorm room feel much cozier and homey. If you’re anything like me and my roommates, you might get tired of studying at your desk or on your bed, and spreading out on a comfy rug is a lot more appealing than the hard tile. Coming form the west coast, I bought my rug at Bed, Bath, & Beyond after moving in. One of my roommates bought a rug of her own and a bean bag, all of which vastly improved the environment of our dorm room.
Electric kettle
While many cooking appliances are not allowed in Rochester dorms, most electric kettles have thankfully been given the OK. This past year. I used my kettle (purchased at Walmart) multiple times a week. Electric kettles can be handy for preparing things like Cup of Noodles and mac and cheese, but I ended up using mine mostly for oatmeal and tea. While these things can of course be found elsewhere on campus, I really valued the convenience of being able to make them myself, anytime of day and without leaving the dorm.
On the tech front:
UR Mobile app
Any new freshman with a smartphone should download the UR Mobile app as soon as they arrive on campus. This free app has all sorts of features including fast links to things like the library homepage, the bus schedule, and course listings. My favorite thing about the UR Mobileapp, however, is the map function. The app provides access to a clearly labeled map of the River Campus (as well all other UR-affiliated locations) and gives users the option to search for specific buildings and even track their own location. When you’re first learning the layout of the campus or trying to figure out the location of a new class, this app can be a lifesaver.
Quizlet
Any student taking a language class (particularly when you’re starting from scratch) should sign up for a Quizlet account. I took Elementary French both semesters last year and have no doubt that much of my success was due to my memorization skills made possible by Quizlet. This website helps users to learn vocabulary and spelling with a variety of memorization activities. When you’re responsible for learning hundreds of new words each semester, it’s important to find a study method that works for you. Quizlet definitely made my learning easier, and best of all, it’s absolutely free.
Notability app
If you are someone taking humanities and/or social science classes and happen to have an iPad, Notability is definitely worth the few bucks it costs. In my experience, many professors like to spare their students the expense of buying an entire textbook they’ll only use for a chapter or two. Instead, professors often make photocopies of readings and post them online for their students to download. But as expensive as textbooks can be, printing hundreds of photocopies isn’t exactly cheap (plus it kills trees). Notability provides a great alternative, allowing users to download documents to their iPad for easy reading, highlighting, and organization. I used Notability for five of my classes last year and couldn’t be a bigger fan.
In reality, most college students could probably make it through school just fine without any of the things on my list. But these are the things I was the most grateful for last year and know that I’ll continue to use for the rest of my college career.
Natasha wrote about seven things she can’t live without, too.