2015-07-22 19:21:54

When packing for college, step one is remembering the essentials - everything from socks to phone chargers. But first-time college-goers tend not to forget the obvious items.

What they do forget are things that make dorm rooms feel more comfortable - more like home. Here is a list of 5 great items that will transform a sad dorm room into a place students will be happy to come back to every night.

5. Posters.



Homesick? If you're from New York, hang a poster of the Empire State Building on your wall (or hopefully something less cheesy). Not homesick? Buy a Michael Jordan poster or one of your favorite musician. Posters add much-needed color and life to dorm rooms.

http://ow.ly/PXp0M 

4. Clip-On Lamps



When your roommate annoyingly turns off the lights before you're ready to go to sleep, you'll be happy you bought a clip-on lamp. You can attach it to your bed-post and keep on reading or writing or whatever (watching TV).

http://ow.ly/PXmDR 

3. (Shag) Rugs



First and foremost, rugs hide dirt and dust - two things most dorm rooms are well-acquainted with. Secondly, rugs transform your not-so-amazingly-clean-looking-floor into something you'd want to step on. And finally, they provide rooms with much needed warmth, color, and softness. Shag rugs (AKA super fluffy rugs) are, in our opinion, the best kind of rug for college. (You'd be wise to ship or even order your rug to school to have it there when you arrive, instead of lugging it from home.)

http://ow.ly/PXoVL 

2. Power Strips.

 



You won't find many outlets in a dorm room. To make sure you can charge all your electronics at once - and to save energy, if you're into that -  power strips are a must-have in college.

http://ow.ly/PXlBU

1. Reading Pillows



They look dumb. And you're probably asking yourself when you'd ever use a "reading pillow." But trust us, these things are great for college and provide much-needed back support when you're on your computer and want to sit up in bed.

http://ow.ly/PXlTX