Besides the usual bedsheets and clothings, what are some tools that a college freshmen should bring to college? Here are some recommendations:
1) Keychain Flashlight that can double up as a safety light
Everyone has a cellphone with built in light. Who needs a flashlight? You do when you need to have some ambient light AND use your cellphone at the same time. This one is very small, and has a red light option. Very useful to clip it onto your backpack when walking at night around campus.
2) Leatherman Wave+ Multi-tool
When a student is at home, there is probably a tool box full of tools that she can use when she needs to tighten something, open something, etc. The Leatherman Wave+ has the right collection of tools that are needed often: Scissors, screw drivers large and small, knife, can opener.
Pro-tip — you can get it engrave as a gift as well!
3) Command Hooks and Strips
College dorms do not like students putting holes in the walls or damaging the paint services. The “Command” brand products got this figured out. Put up hooks to hang things, use strips to attach things to the walls, the possibilities are endless. You can also get some multi-packs at Costco if you are a member. Get creative with them.
4) Portable Laptop and Phone Charger
Students will be on the go and having a small and powerful charger with her in her backpack helps keep laptop and phone charged. The new ANKER 735 is very good and small. Don’t forget extra cables!
5) Apple AirTags
If you are in the Apple product family, AirTags are really great, especially with the current generation of iPhones where it does very accurate location of items. Put an AirTag in the backpack, one in the wallet. One on the water bottle. Things will get lost. We used to use Tiles but they do not work as well IMHO.
6) Organization Boxes with Lids
Keep supplies, foods, and other smaller items organized. As an IKEA fan I like these boxes. The small, medium and large ones are particularly useful.
7) Gel Seat Cushion
Most dorms have hard chairs. You cannot bring your gaming chair or your AERON with you. So get one of these gel seat cushions to make sitting on them better. There are a lot of these on Amazon. We have two random ones and both are fine.
