Get ahead of the pack with these dorm room must-haves!

Aug. 15, 2018 — With move-in right around the corner, we talked to some of the resident assistants at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Florham and Metro campuses about what to pack for dorm life at FDU.

Pictures of family and friends

Robert Scire, senior, hotel and restaurant management major, Florham Campus, Park Avenue

“Students should bring pictures for two reasons. First, they can be used to decorate your dorm room. Second, they can help with transitioning to college life when you feel homesick.”

Extra laundry detergent

Tayauna Moore-Baytops, junior, nursing major, Metropolitan Campus, University Court

“This is an item that tends to get used up quickly, so I’d suggest that incoming freshmen stock up on laundry detergent, that way they don’t have to frequently buy more.”

Command Picture Hanging Strips for photos and posters

Jaskaranpreet Pannu, senior, biology major, pre-med track, Florham Campus, The Village

“It’s a great way to hang up posters and other wall décor. Removing them is a breeze since it doesn’t take the paint off the wall when you do.”

Bluetooth speaker

Raymond Severin, senior, criminal justice major, Metropolitan Campus, Northpointe

“(This is great for your room) to set whatever tone reflects your mood.”

Microwave and mini-fridge

Ricky Belizaire, senior, theater arts major, Florham Campus, The Village

“The cafeteria is only open at certain times and if you’re hungry, a refrigerator is great for keeping your groceries fresh and if you ever have leftovers, a microwave comes in handy to reheat meals.”

First-aid kit

Brianna Wedding, senior, psychology major, Metropolitan Campus, Northpointe

“It may not be used super often, but when you get your first headache or scrape away from home, you’ll be glad you have it.”

Wonder Hangers

Dylan Glick, sophomore, theater arts major, Florham Campus, Florence Twombly Hall

“Wonder Hangers can hang up to five items while taking up the space of only one. As someone with an extensive wardrobe ranging from Halloween costumes to hoodies, Wonder Hangers saved my life, allowing me to maximize space.”

Cleaning supplies

Michelle Ogilvie, senior, marketing major, Metropolitan Campus, The Lindens

“This is the first time you’ll be living on your own, which means mom and dad won’t be nagging you to clean. It’s much easier to focus in an organized!”

Rain boots

Olivia Vliet, senior, psychology major in QUEST, Florham Campus, Rutherford Hall

“The walk to class is always beautiful, but on rainy days without rain boots, you’ll spend the first 15 minutes in the loo under the hand dryers trying to dry your feet and legs!”

Body pillow

Ta’Nynee Washington, junior, political science major, Metropolitan Campus, The Lindens

“It’s perfect for back support during your study sessions in your room, whether you’re in the middle of the floor or in bed. It gives your body great alignment throughout the night and if you ever miss home a little, it could be like a stuffed animal that comforts you.”

Paper plates and plastic utensils

Darren Davy, senior, mathematics major, Florham Campus, Hamilton Twombly Hall

“Students should bring plastic utensils and paper plates because you might find yourself ordering food from outside places and bringing food back from home regularly.”

Lamp

Jobelle Gulian, junior, nursing major
Metropolitan Campus, University Court

“I use an extra lamp for late-night studying and reading. It serves a great functional purpose and makes a great accent for any dorm.”

Printer

Jillian Keshecki, junior, chemistry major, Florham Campus, Florence Twombly Hall

“If you’re a night owl like me, you’ll understand that running to the library at 3 AM to print your last-minute lab report in your pajamas isn’t the best look!”

Dry-erase board

Brianna Thomas, junior, nursing major, Metropolitan Campus, The Lindens

“This item played an important role in my goal to be more organized. I continuously wrote down reminders and inspirational quotes that I felt would guide me throughout the day.”

Alarm clock

Faith Adelufosi, junior, biology major, Metropolitan Campus, University Court

“I strongly encourage residents to bring an alarm clock besides their cell phone because sometimes we might forget to set an alarm before bedtime due to fatigue or if our cell phone happens to be dead and we might not be able to wake up in time for that class or to study for that test.”

Foam mattress pad

Alden Etra, sophomore, creative writing major, Florham Campus, The Village

“Adding a quality mattress pad makes a world of difference for a good night’s sleep.”