Four essential products every student needs to navigate their first year of independence.
As the end of summer draws nearer, thousands of students are anxiously gearing up to live on their own for the first time as they head off to college or university. In addition to the fun and excitement that comes with the big move, adulting can be daunting for teenagers leaving the nest. Whether they’re moving into residence or off-campus housing, getting organized and equipped with the essentials can make the transition go a lot smoother.
Here are a few must-have items Home Hardware experts say every student needs to navigate their first year of independence:
Mini Fridge
Even with meal plans and roommates who love to cook, it’s still recommended you bring along your own personal mini fridge for your room to keep essentials like water, fruit, left-overs and other snacks. Mini fridges don’t take up much room and they also give you another surface to store supplies.
Power Gear
Residence rooms and bedrooms don’t necessarily have electrical outlets where you want them, especially if the room is doubling as a place for students to sleep and do school work. It’s a good idea to bring a few smart plugs with USB ports to give yourself flexibility to plug in essential electronics exactly where you want them.
Toiletries Kit
Shared bathrooms are a staple of life in student residences and off-campus housing, which means there’s not usually room to store personal belongings. Having a proper case or bag to bring your toiletries – toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo – from your room to the washroom is more than just a convenience; it’s a necessity.
Laundry Supplies
Chances are most students living on their own for the first time will be handling all of their own laundry for the first time. Most residences have laundry facilities on site, but you still need a laundry basket or bag that can be packed away between loads. It’s recommended to bring the
other laundry basics – detergent, fabric softener and dryer sheets – so you don’t have to spend more on individual serving supplies.
Tips to protect yourself on social media:
• Don’t update any statuses or tweet on what you are going to do or where you are going to be or if you are spending time alone at the dorm. Also, be sure to utilize the privacy settings on social media sites to ensure that strangers don’t see anything you don’t intend for them to see.
• Be careful when using the “check-in” feature on Facebook or tweeting about where you are, and be weary of apps that share your location to others. The new generation of apps broadcast your location at all times to friends – and in many cases to people you don’t even know. Unlike the previous generations of applications that required you to check in to a venue, these apps are persistent unless you pause them or turn them off.
• Don’t post about how frustrated you are because your door or window doesn’t shut properly. Snaps, Vines and other videos taken inside your house can also give potential burglars an idea of your home’s layout and possible entry points.
• Do post updates or tweet about the great new security system or lockset that you just had installed.
- Inputs by Weiser
