Top Ten Things You'll Need in College

At this point in the game I feel it's fair to say that most students are pretty well adjusted to the dorm life. It's like that in-between step from living with your parents to living on your own. You learn what the real necessities are pretty fast, but for those of you who are preparing to live in the dorms next semester or next year, I've come up with a list of the ten most important things to bring:

10. Pictures & Posters- Our walls are white and completely boring, the best was to make them more exciting is to personalize them with photos from home and a few posters. It'll give your room personality and make it feel more like your own space, not just a place where you are living.

9. Hot Chocolate- Remember when you were little and had a blast playing in the snow, but after a while you heard your mom calling and you didn't hesitate to run home; partly because your hands were numb and partly because you knew there'd be a nice warm cup of hot chocolate waiting for you? Well I hate to break it to you, it won't be prepared when you get back, but it's always nice to make some after a snowball fight or a day on the mountain.

8. Quarters- I know it’s college and clean clothes are not our number one priority, but when you finally run out of clean socks or underwear you'll realize quarters are your best friend. They are rare to find here in the dorms since the change machine is always broken and people tend to hoard them for their own use. I'd recommend always keeping a back up stash hidden somewhere.

7. Stamps- One of the most exciting things that can happen here at college is to receive a post card or package in the mail. It's always good to know that someone is thinking about you, and I think snail mail is more exciting than e-mail becuase you know some time and effort went into it. You'll need the stamps to reply with a thank you note.

6. Alarm Clock- For those of you who like to stay out late I'd definitely recommend getting one of these. Although the earliest a class starts here at CMC is 9am, it can be very difficult getting up after a late night of cramming or GTA with some friends. I'd highly recommend getting one with a snooze button; it seems to come in handy.

5. Water Purifier- Because of the high altitude it's incredibly easy to become dehydrated out here. You definitely need to drink a lot of water. You could keep buying bottled water, but for those of you who like to help the environment and save money in the long run, a water purifier is the way to go.

4. Vitamin C Drops- The Dorms are breeding grounds for illness. In the winter you basically have two choices: freeze to death from opening your window to circulate air or get used to being sick. Since I don't like the thought of either I've opted to take a daily dose of vitamin C.

3. A George Foreman Grill- As a going away gift my Grandma gave me a George Foreman Grill. I'll admit it was thoughtful, but I didn't think I'd be putting it too much use. Oh how wrong I was. It comes in handy on those nights you miss dinner or simply can't stand to eat cafeteria food anymore. Plus grilled cheese parties with your neighbors are always a fun way to brighten up a boring day. I've found George Foreman has become one of my best friends. (Thanks Grandma!)

2. Downy Wrinkle Releaser- Okay, other than for waxing your ski/board, who has used an iron recently? I know I definitely haven't. But I like my clothes to look clean even if they aren’t, that's why I think Downy Wrinkle Releaser is the best thing since sliced bread. Just a few sprays, a couple tugs and my clothes are wrinkle free.

1. Snowboard- I can't even tell you how many of my friends don't have their gear our here yet. In their defense Steamboat won't open until November 26th, but if you have the college ultimate pass you can go to Copper (which opened yesterday) and Winter Park all you want. Not to mention Buff Pass and the CMC Rail Yard, which have rails and jumps set up for some pre season fun.

Things I thought I would need but really didn't:

TV- There's free cable in all of the lounges that are rarely used, so there's no need to pay for it.

A Car- I'll admit I miss jumping into my car and cruising to wherever my heart desired, but I don't miss paying for gas. Steamboat is a small town so if you like to bike or jog you can pretty much go anywhere. Plus there's a free bus system that takes you all over town, and most of the kids here are friendly, so if they see you walking up the treacherous Bob Adam's Drive they'll give you a lift to the top.

CDs/ DVDs- All of my music is on my Lap Top, I've found that CDs just take up space. And living here is like having a personal Blockbuster because some kids decided to have their entire DVD collection shipped out. There are enough movies around to keep anyone occupied for days.

So there you have it, my list of necessities and a few things that aren't so important. Hope this helps any students coming out here! And feel free to add ideas if you think I left something out =)