No, you don’t need to bring that!
Although you might think to bring every little thing in your room now is essential for your college dorm, chances are, it’s not and you won’t really have enough room for it. It is very easy to fill up a dorm room and, living in an over-decorated, overcrowded, and overdone dorm room will quickly become a nightmare for you and your roommate(s). Whether you are best friends with your roommate(s) or not, it is essential that you talk to them before you move in about what you want in your dorm room, who is buying what, and where it will go. All UGA dorm room dimensions are available to review. Not talking to your roommate(s) before moving in will usually mean that you have multiples of each item, too many items, or not enough.
Unfortunately, UGA prohibits students from bringing specific items into their dorm rooms, and not knowing this could result in unnecessary money being spent on items that are not allowed. UGA does not allow items like candles or incense that provide an open flame that could, in turn, set something on fire… most rooms have their own fire detectors and if you set one off it will only beep in your room, so save yourself the embarrassment and just don’t bring them. Lamps are typically permitted, but halogen and multi-bulb fixtures are both not allowed and honestly not necessary, most rooms have at least 3 different lights, so you may need a desk lamp, but nothing more. You are only allowed to use command strips for hanging, so do not even bother with a hammer and nails, cellophane tape, etc.
Other items that are simply unnecessary and also not allowed are microwaves, hot plates, air conditioners, toasters, toaster ovens, and printers. While mini-fridges and coffee makers are allowed, they are really the only two items you need in your dorm room. Every dorm building has at least one microwave for students to use, so buying one is sort of a waste of money since the ones available are kept clean and safe to use.
Hot plates are not allowed due to the exposed heat that could set the dorm on fire, most of these rooms are small, and the use of a hotplate could quickly start a fire that would become uncontrollable in a matter of minutes. Air conditioners are not needed due to the fact that each room is already equipped with heating and air, fans are allowed if needed, but an entire AC unit is just over the top.
Toaster ovens and toasters are again just a part of the group of unnecessary items; the dining halls offer both of these for students to use at all times and there’s usually not enough room in a dorm for these items. Printers are necessary items for students, but if everyone brought one, the already strained WiFi connection would struggle even more. UGA provides students with printers all over campus (in classroom buildings, dorms, and dining halls) to ensure students can print what they need, as much as they need, at a very cheap cost. Just load your student with about $10 for printing and that should last them well through their first year. Students can also go to Bel-Jean, a local print shop located on Broad Street.
Although you probably love all of your clothes, you simply just don’t need them. For students who live relatively close to campus, it is a smart idea to bring up summer and fall clothes in the beginning, then when winter comes, switch those out for winter clothes, and then when spring comes, switch it out for spring clothes. This method is obviously not feasible for all students, so my recommendation is to bring what you know without a doubt you will wear, if you haven’t worn it in a year – don’t bring it. If you don’t like it – don’t bring it. If it doesn’t match anything else you own – don’t bring it.
The best way to conserve space is to only bring the pieces you love love love, the pieces you wear, and the pieces you cannot live without. Same with shoes; we all have our favorites, so just bring those… and worst-case scenario, you meet your mom to grab a pair you suddenly need but don’t have or you have her ship them to you. Moving in should be so fun, and not the least bit stressful. Hopefully, the insight we are sharing will help aid you in that process.
As for what to bring, we’ve got our Shopping Guide for New Students that breaks it down and has some great places to find what your student will need. Happy Shopping!
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