Settling into your first-year dorm can feel exciting for some but intimidating for others. This anxious feeling often derives from having to adapt to an unfamiliar environment and routine. Fortunately, with a little time to adjust and some helpful suggestions, you will feel prepared in no time.

Advice for students who live in the communal dorms

Each first-year dorm is different. There are several layouts that can impact how you live. For example, some dorms include shared bathrooms, while other halls have private bathrooms.

For those who share a bathroom, it is important to purchase shower shoes to ensure cleanliness. In addition, a shower caddy makes it easier to lug all your bathroom supplies to and from the shower.

Tips to avoid the “Carrick Cough”

The “Carrick Cough” is one of the popular sicknesses that people catch, especially those who live in North and South Carrick.

Purchase cleaning supplies to help protect your immune system and put some of those germs at ease. A few of these items include hand sanitizer, dish soap and disinfectant spray.

Elderberry gummies are another beneficial product for your immune system. These dietary supplements are known to naturally fight cold and flu symptoms. You can purchase elderberry gummies on Amazon.

Laundry hacks

You are going to be busy with new schedules while in college. If your laundry sits for too long in the washer or dryer when finished, people may dump it on the floor.

To prevent your clothes from gathering filth from the dirty floor, set a timer for how long your clothes will be in the washing or drying machine. Gather your clothes when the timer goes off.

Another hack for laundry is to purchase a rolling hamper with wheels. This comes in handy if you are a great distance from the laundry room.

Some washing machines only take laundry pods. Unfortunately, some of the older machines may leave a laundry pod stain on your clothes. Use warm water and scrub with a little rubbing alcohol to remove the stain.

Recommendations to make the dorm room feel like home

For those who are feeling more anxious about their new environment, there are ways to create a home away from home.

The overhead lights can be extremely bright, which feels less cozy. To add softer lighting, you can buy a lamp with warm tones.

To make yourself feel more comfortable, decorate the empty walls with decor. Amazon has endless options for room decoration, or you can bring pictures from your own childhood bedroom.

For the bed, you can add a mattress topper to provide an extra cushion on top of the hard mattress.

Another tip for your bed is to loft it high enough to put storage bins underneath. This helps make the room feel more spacious.

Safety suggestions

Most of the older dorms use a key to enter and securely lock the door. To help keep track of your key, you can buy a phone case with a pocket key holder. Another option is to clip it onto your clothes for safekeeping while you are out and about.

An important safety tip is to establish a buddy system. It is not recommended to walk alone during the nighttime for safety reasons. If you are unable to walk with someone you can always call a friend or buy an alarm.

Some helpful pointers for classes

It is easy to feel overwhelmed if you are unaware of all the whereabouts. A recommendation is to walk to your classes before the first day of school to avoid being late. This can help you become more familiar with the routes you use during the semester.

An extremely useful app is Apple Maps. You can input general building names, or you can put in the specific hall that a dorm is in. Click walk, and it will give you more of a precise location with shortcuts to buildings.

Lastly, an agenda is essential for organization. If an agenda is not your style for organization, you can write in the notes app on your phone or in a document on your computer.

Guidance for game day

After signing up for tickets to a sporting event, it is easy to forget to secure them. Set a reminder for the slot of when you are supposed to acquire the tickets. This is useful since first-year students get least priority.

Your first year is special because you get to independently make choices for yourself. These tips can help you along the journey of building your own foundation at college. Your first year will pass quickly, so make sure to enjoy every moment.