Counsumerism in college dorms
Graphic depicting consumerism in college dorms (Photo: Raffaella Bravo, The Puma Prensa)
By Raffaella Bravo, editor
The time is now to start preparing yourself for the exciting and slightly stressful part of figuring out what to bring to a college dorm. An initial reaction could be to buy everything on your Pinterest board. But rather than going straight to cart, take a second and think: do you really need what you’re getting? Maybe not. And by being mindful of our spending habits, we can take control of our dorm shopping experience, embracing the excitement of building our new room for the next four years while also being financially responsible.
Consider how you will already get with your dorm to start this process. A dorm room has a bed, desk, and some storage space, whether underneath your bed or in a closet or drawer. You can create additional storage places by using foldable bins to hold clothes, school supplies, or necessary items. These can be stored under beds or desks and are a good option since they are collapsible and great for moving in days.
It's also important to consider that you will already have more than half the items you need in your dorm at home or in your room. For example, your bedding is easily transferable into college beds. The only thing you might want to invest in is a mattress topper, which can cost around 20-40 dollars on the high end, to improve your sleep.
Thinking of the most necessary items in your dorm first will help eliminate the extra things you might choose to save on. The extras in question are decorative pieces in your dorm, a bean bag you might never use, and another thing you need to clean. If you want to invest in a good desk light or extra lighting for your room, remembering to bring utensils, bowls, and places for food is helpful. You can buy reusable plastic ones for cheap and that are easy to clean. Many students also recommend reusable paper plates and bamboo utensils as they are easier and are environmentally friendly alternatives. If you don't have one already, a small shower caddy to organize all your items would be helpful, especially one that already has rollers on the bottom for easy transportation. Power steps and extension cords for your devices are things that are easily looked over but are necessary. Bring in your old laundry basket or hamper to help keep your room clean. Bringing cleaning supplies to keep your room tidy and bacteria-free is also important, as students are so susceptible to sickness in college. Depending on the weather at your college, having a fan or space could also be very helpful and something you might want to invest in for comfort.
An example of an item that you might think is helpful but extremely unnecessary is an iron or an ironing board. These take up so much space and you can simply use a wrinkle-release spray and hang up your clothes. Similarly, a TV might seem necessary, but your computer or tablet is often sufficient for entertainment. By making informed choices like these, you can confidently decide what you truly need for your dorm room. People tend to buy unnecessary items or a an excesseive amount of things you dont necessary will use everyday or at all. An Example of this is paper, you might not need as much paper as you might think, as many colleges require digital submissions. Also, buying expensive furniture isn't practical or necessary, and you can choose to save your money on these things. By being confident in your choices, you can feel more at ease during the dorm shopping process.
The last thing we want is to throw money down the drain on items we might never use and contribute to consumerism. Stopping the process of waste generation, pollution, and resource depletion is something to keep in mind. Shopping second-hand for furniture is a great option to help this cause and save your cash. Yes, most of the stressful part of college applications and decisions is done, and we can focus on exciting things like our dorm room. Just make sure to keep in mind that being conscious of our spending habits can make a big impact, helping both our earth and your pockets.