College Dorm Room Essentials

Although I'm officially out of college, I can't help but get in that back to school mindset that always pops up in late August. I like to pride myself on how prepared I was my last few years of college, however I remember just how unprepared I was during my freshman year. I thought I had everything together that I needed. In some ways I overpacked, in other ways I completely forgot some aspects of normal living (I literally forgot silverware! How useless is that? Not everything is finger food, Sami!) Last year I wrote my ultimate college packing list that covers the majority of college essentials, however after giving myself some extra time and being introduced to some new products/brands, I've come to realize that the list of college necessities can always be improved.

Luden's Throat Drops

One thing that remains true about every college is that it's a breeding ground for sickness. I sometimes even refer to freshman year as "the year I had nearly every illness you could think of." Seriously, I had the common cold, the flu, bronchitis...you name it, I probably had it. The absolute worst thing about getting sick for me is always the coughing and the irritation/sore throat. I remember having so many sleepless nights when my throat was extremely sore and wouldn't feel better in the slightest no matter what I did. I was recently introduced to Luden's throat drops during my last bout of sickness and realized they soothe my throat much better than other things I've tried. Sorority girls also take note, these will be life savers come recruitment time! There's so much chanting, singing, talking (sometimes yelling in the crowded rooms!) that your voice gets put through the ringer during recruitment/rush. Luden's are the best way to make your voice come back faster and make you feel your 100% best. You can save $1 off of two bags by heading to their site here.

Cozy Throw Blanket

Speaking of feeling your best, I find that I'm my happiest in my room or on the couch with a comfy throw blanket. I love this one from Viv & Lou! (Psst! You get 25% off any order from Viv & Lou now through Sept 30 with my code ClassicBrunette25) The pattern and colors are so fun, and it's SO incredibly soft because it's made from 100% polyester microfiber. I also really love that Viv & Lou does FREE customizations on their throws, because who doesn't love a monogram? Although there are so many things that I think are great in neutral tones, I think blankets (particularly throws) are a great way to add a pop of color to a room. This is especially true for dorm life where the room itself is a bit sad and boring!

Snacks & Good Food

The thrill of the dining hall only lasts during freshman year when it's new and exciting. It also comes back around during senior year when you no longer have dining points and you miss the days when you could walk a few steps and have a ton of pre-made meals waiting for you. Outside of those times (or just when you feel extra lazy and don't want to leave your dorm...it's okay we've all been there) you'll be making a good amount of food in your dorm or campus apartment. It's not always easy to go grocery shopping, and that's exactly what EZneeds is for. It's a wholesale website without a membership fee (!!!) that gets all your everyday needs delivered for a great price. They have food, drinks, toiletries, electronics, office supplies and more. As you can see from my order above, they have a variety of college-friendly meals and snacks and even laundry products. (Something I was always running out of in the dorms!) The best part is that orders over $50 ship free within 3 days! Had I known about this site when I was a freshman in the dorms I would have saved so much time and money.

If you're already out and about searching for great dorm food, I recommend purchasing some Big AZ sandwiches. These sandwiches make great meals for when you don't want to make it out of your dorm or want to eat a good meal on the go. Some semesters I would have extremely tight schedules where I could barely fit in a meal, so making sure I had something ready-to-go or easy to make was a necessity! Keep them in your dorm's mini fridge, pop it in the microwave and then you're all set to have a tasty meal! You can find them at a number of convenience stores across the country, if you're a fan of spicy food I recommend the siracha chicken sandwich! Here is a coupon for $1 off!

Now another thing that I always wanted to have on hand in my dorm was some candy! For some reason having little bite sized candies was always great for when friends came over for study sessions. It always gave us enough of a sugar rush to keep going so we could finish our assignments without falling asleep! I'm a huge fan of sour candies and Sour Punch straws were always one of my favorites. Sour Punch recently came out with these new mini bites that come in a resealable package so that you don't have to eat them all at once. Not like that's going to stop me, though. 😉

Casio Watch

I think a reliable watch is something every student should have. Sure I could just look at my phone for the time, but there are a lot of professors who don't allow the use of technology in the classroom. I always want to give my professors the utmost respect, but I'm also guilty at always looking at the clock to see how much longer I'll be spending in class. I love the vintage feel of this Casio watch. It's easy to read, timeless, and is even waterproof! You can shop Casio watches on their website or at Macy's.

Light Reading Material

One of my favorite recent light reads has been this book of Instagram poetry called The Princess Saves Herself In This One by Amanda Lovelace. It's so creative and is surprisingly very uplifting. The poems all focus around the various stages of the "princess trope": the princess, the damsel, the queen, and you. Such an interesting read!

A Good Planner

So I'll be the first to admit that I actually have two planners. I used to have one for school and one for blogging, but now that I've graduated by school planner has transformed into my daily-life planner. The Posh: Happy Living 2017-2018 planner is organized monthly/weekly which is great for jotting down upcoming assignments and test dates! This planner also has a ton of inspiring and upbeat quotes and suggestions for how to feel your best. You can never have enough of either of those in my opinion!

I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my dorm room essentials! To those of you heading off to college whether it be for the first time or for another year, I wish you the best of luck and would love to know what you consider an essential!

This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx, however as always all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Classic Brunette!