5 Dorm Room Must-Haves from the 'Arkansas Next' Team

By NEXT Staff on Monday, September 10, 2012

You've brought your pillow. You've got your toothbrush. Here are a few more items you'll want to consider as you move into your dorm room.

Trust us, we've been there.

Lockable Safe or Trunk

“I roomed with my best friend freshman year, so I didn’t have to worry about stealing, but my sophomore-year suitemate frequently ‘borrowed’ my towels and school supplies without asking. You just never know whether an assigned roommate is going to be nosey – or a klepto – so lockable storage is a MUST to keep your valuables and personal information out of reach.”

– Lindsay Irvin, Editor
University of Arkansas, Class of 2007

Name Tags

“Before I left for college, my mom insisted on ironing a name tag into every single article of clothing I had. I thought it was silly, but I came to find out that clothes have a funny way of getting up and hopping out of your closet when you live in an all-girl dorm or a sorority house. And I was reunited with tons of clothes because of those things. Thanks, Mom!”

– Alex Graham, Database Administrator
University of Arkansas, Class of 2008

Lamps / Extra Lighting

“It’s good to have a bright floor lamp or desk lamp because we HATED the fluorescent lighting and almost never had it on. I would always get a killer headache studying under the fluorescent lighting.”

– Taylor Bowers, Marketing Coordinator
University of Central Arkansas, Class of 2011

Handheld Fabric Steamer

“Clothes almost want to be wrinkly, even the ones that claim to be ‘iron-free.’ For about the same price as a good iron, you can have fresh, crisp shirts using a handheld fabric steamer. They don’t require an ironing board – great for cramped dorm rooms – and they’re easier to use than irons.”

– Samuel G. Smith, Assistant Editor
Arkansas State University, Class of 2012

Planner / Organizer

“I always have my planner by my side. At the beginning of each semester, I go through every course syllabus I’m given and immediately transfer due dates for big assignments into my planner. It’s great to be able to anticipate weeks with a heavy workload.”

– Neelam H. Vyas, Editorial Intern
Hendrix College, Class of 2014