by Debra Menager

Created on: August 31, 2009

With so much to do as you prepare to leave for college, you may discover you need a few forgotten items as you settle into your new dorm home. Most will be little things easily found nearby. Or wait a few days, Fed-ex or UPS deliveries may bring them to you. But some are more essential, items not easy to miss.

Dorm lore, like urban legends, starts as memorable moments of discovery: unusual or obvious became infamous and well known. Like a freshman who slept two weeks on a bare mattress, arriving with no sheets, blankets, not even a pillow. Actually, I know the truth: after the first night he threw a borrowed sleeping bag on top of his mattress. And it wouldn't have been longer than a few days, when his mom sent sheets and blankets.

But he forgot to mention that he needed extra long sheets. The ones sent did not fit over the dorm mattress (significantly longer than his bed at home). So he used that sleeping bag a little longer. His mistakes are ones anyone could make, although I doubt many do. Thus dorm lore. Talk to friends who have gone before you, learn what they suggest you'll need.

Ten essentials I recommend, plus a few thoughts from experiences I recall, I hope will help you make your packing list.

1. Dorm Bedding: extra long twin sheets, most dorm beds won't be covered with your regular twin sheets used at home. Twin size blankets are OK; as long as you aren't tall, they don't need to cover the whole length of the bed. Full size blankets, comforters, and mattress pads also work well (the length is right, tuck excess width in or enjoy its potential to cover you (and items stored under a lofted bed, hiding them) better.

2. Cell phone: load it with all the numbers you need. Also doubles as an alarm clock, and add a few extra tunes (if your music files play decent) and reminders for places you need to be. Before you go, make sure you have what you want loaded (and saved on a SIM or backed up on line).

3. Computer: desk top or laptop, you'll need it for school work and appreciate it for music, videos, and TV (saves space in a tiny dorm room). Laptop is more convenient, taking less space, and you can take it with you to class, study groups, and go on line almost anywhere on campus. A wireless printer, although not essential, is very convenient for last assignments and times when you need to copy or print something fast.

4. Backpack: keeps your laptop, books, and papers with you as you go. With schools in non-dry locals find one that is waterproof to protect

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