When Nyambi Marsh was planning her move into dorms at the University of St. Francis in Joliet as a freshman in 2022, first on her lengthy list of essential college dorm items was extension cords.

“The dorm rooms only have one or two outlets on your side of the room and extensions cords were a lifesaver,” she said.

Marsh, now a sophomore, is from Watseka, about 70 miles south of the school’s Joliet campus.

She recently shared her advice for students who will be packing up this month to head off to college campuses for the first time.

She said her college shopping started early the summer before her freshman year.

Between online shopping and shopping locally with her mom and sisters, a pile of supplies consistently grew over that summer.

In addition to power cords, another essential Marsh recommends is a long phone charging cord.

“My bed was lofted,” she said, “So being able to charge my phone from my bed was convenient.”

One of the keys to making a dorm room comfortable is personalizing it with items from home.

Bringing personal decorations from home including photos and letters from family and friends helped Marsh “make it homier and a space I enjoyed being in,” she said.

Marsh used wall putty to up her dorm decorations, which worked well and didn’t damage the walls.

Cooking in the residence hall’s community kitchen was something that made her dorm experience feel more like home, especially using her own cookware.

“Some nights I would cook spaghetti for friends or a pizza,” Marsh said.

Mollie Rockafellow, dean of student life with the University of St. Francis, said parents can play a big role in making their student’s transition to college life and living away from home easier.

“The biggest thing for parents is to continue to be the student’s cheerleader. They are going to go through a lot of ups and downs, inevitably something is not going to go well at some point. They may even question at some point did I choose the right college or even going to college in general,” Rockafellow said.

The parent may not be able to fix a problem, she said, but “being a sounding board and telling the student that they have done hard things before and they can do this” can be very beneficial.

University of St. Francis has about 3,426 students with almost 40% of freshman living on campus in a residential hall with a roommate assigned based on a survey of habits and hobbies.

Rockafellow said, “Students come in groaning about that. But by the end of the first year, the students say living on campus with a roommate was one of their best experiences.”

“They learn a lot,” she added. “We have supports in place to help them work through any conflicts which is a great skill development.”

For many first-year students, college living is their first time being away from home on their own for an extended period of time. And it may also be the first time they are sharing a bedroom and living space.

“It is important that the students talk about what they are going to share ahead of time; when are they going to study, the issue of guests,” Rockafellow said. “This is key to opening the lines of communication.”

If a roommate situation is not working, she said “it is important to communicate that to staff.”

In terms of which items to bring, Rockafellow said, “Start small. You can always add items, but it is harder to take it back.”

Talking to your roommate ahead of time about what each will bring eliminates multiples of the same items, she said.

About 1,200 students at Lewis University in Romeoville call one of the 12 residence halls home during the school year.

Thomas Burgess, the director of residence life, said the school looks at move-in day “as a day of excitement and energy. We want our students to feel welcomed home. A sense of belonging is very important to us. We begin this process as soon as they arrive.”

Returning students move in early to help freshman and their parents unload their cars, Burgess said.

For parents, Burgess suggests, “Don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus on the items students need and not necessarily the items they want.”

“By need, I mean those items help them feel like it is their room – like a special comforter or pillow,” he said.

In addition, he said students are near large stores and there is always online shopping for anything they forget.

After move-in, Burgess suggests parents and students head out to dinner “so you are not standing in a hallway” saying tearful goodbyes.

“Remember,” he said, “You only move into college for the first time one time. Enjoy it and absorb it.”

What to bring

Extra-long twin sheets

Blankets

Mattress pad

Pillows

Pillow cases

Bathroom tote

Caddy toiletries

Shower shoes

Towels

Washcloths

Detergent

Fabric softener

Laundry Basket

Alarm clock

Cleaning supplies

Vacuum

Broom

Plates

Silverware

Cups

Bowls

Dish soap

Waste basket

Garbage bags

Extension cords

Surge protectors (UL approved)

School/desk supplies

Fan

First aid items

Hangers

Air freshener

Area rug

Floor lamps

Coffee maker

Television

Laptop

Headphones

Removable adhesives (3M command hooks)

What to leave at home

Pets (fish are only pets allowed)

Hot plates

Personal fridge

Alcohol/ drug paraphernalia/ hookah

Space heaters

Toaster oven/ toaster/air fryers

Halogen lamps

Neon lights/signs or LED strip lighting

Electric blankets

Candles/incense

Live Christmas trees or lights

Mobile hotspots

Routers

Wireless printers

Courtesy of Lewis University Office of Residential Life