A Computer with Too Many Bells and Whistles
Storage space for school assignments, good battery life and compact are the features you want to focus on when looking for a laptop for college. If you can, skip on the desktop computer and large monitor to save space, as well as premium features such as a 4K display. But don’t swing too much in the simplistic direction by opting for a tablet or iPad (or touchscreen laptop), as they won’t have the programs needed for most college courses and assignments.
A Car
A college campus should have everything you need within walking distance to live life as a normal functioning adult. A car just isn’t practical. Add in expenses like insurance, gas, parking permits, possible parking tickets, maintenance and the car becomes more of a hassle than a convenience. If you are living off campus or require transportation for a job, then a car will obviously be a necessary. But if you want to bring your car, just to have a car, keep in mind most colleges discourage or even ban cars from on-campus living.
Your Entire Wardrobe
Yes, you’ll be attending many different events in college, and sure, you’ll want to put your best foot forward when making new friends, but try your best to not pack everything you own. You’ll have laundry machines readily available and maybe even roommates to clothing swap with. And let’s be real honest, you know you’ll be mix and matching outfits with the same one pair of jeans or yoga pants for multiple occasions every week.
Expensive Bedding
If you’re going to be living in a small space like a dorm or bedroom for the greater part of your college year, chances are your bed is also going to be where you eat, where you drink, where you spill things, where your friends hang around in their sneakers, etc. Skip the extra nice bedding you saw advertised on your Instagram feed and opt for the basics. And try not to pack extra bedding to avoid having to find a spot to store it. Again, laundry machines.
New Textbooks
While a shiny new textbook is very aesthetically pleasing to look at, you may want to save money as well as space in your room or apartment and buy the e-book version or rent your textbooks. Renting textbooks will force you to give the textbook back at the end of the semester, instead of allowing a textbook pileup to take over your small space. If you do buy your textbooks, just make sure you sell them back at the end of each semester using an online textbook service like Textbookrush.com. Money and space, yay.
A Printer
The days of storing piles of blank paper and turning in a printed copy of your assignment are gone. Most students now submit their work through online programs, and print any hard copies needed on the penny printers located in school computer labs or library.
