Tips for Packing Smart!

Hi everyone,

So I am SO excited that there is only 2 weeks of school left before graduation week! I seriously can't believe how fast the past 4 years have gone by! It seems like only yesterday my parents and I pulled up to UT in August to move me in to McKay for my first semester of college. Move in day is such an exciting time on campus because everything is new to you and there is so much going on around you. Although it was always fun to move into a new dorm each year so you could experience new people and atmospheres, moving in was not very fun in the blazing heat of Tampa summers. As my father would say, it is hotter than fire down here in August! UT does provide a Move-In Team at each dorm comprised of student volunteers who will help you and your family move into your dorm.

With that said, I have come up with a list of essentials that you should pack when coming to UT in the fall! You don't want to bring too much but you also don't want to forget the important things! Aside from all your clothes, here is a list of some things that are vital to living in a college dorm!
-Sheets for your bed: Make sure when you are buying sheets and a comforter for your dorm that you buy XL sheets because the mattresses at UT are longer than a normal twin sized bed.
-Laundry detergent & basket: Each dorm has a laundry facility but they do not provide detergent or fabric softener. Good idea to buy a big basket for your clothes as well because your laundry facility could be a little bit of a walk from your room.
-Utensils/plates/cups for your room: It's always nice to have some plates and cups around your room in case you order pizza with your friends or want to eat dinner in your room. Plastic everything is the way to go so you can just throw them away after your are done!
-Shower Stuff: Shampoo, conditioner, razors, soap, shaving cream, etc. are all things that you will definitely need. I suggest getting a shower cady to hold everything in so you can bring it in when you need it and then remove it so that there aren't 5 shampoo bottles and 5 razors cluttering the one shower you will typically share with 4 other people.
-Hangers for your closet: Hangers are something that a lot of people don't think about, but are essential in the dorms. You only have a limited amount of space in the set of drawers that is provided for you, so hanging clothing is a good option to save space instead of buying another dresser.
-Umbrella - I know this sounds dorky and you don't want to be walking around campus with an umbrella, but in Tampa there is a time period when it rains EVERYDAY in the afternoon. It will come in handy, I promise!
-Decorations for your room: Posters and pictures of friends from home will bring your room to life and make it your own. Many student make collages or bring memorablia from home and put them on their walls. You are allowed to stick things to the wall with tape and whatnot as long as it does not take the paint off the walls or leave any kind of mark when it is removed.
-Beach wear and suntan lotion: UT is in Florida! We are about 30 minutes from the beach but only footsteps away from the pool on campus where students go to hang out and get some sun.
-Small tool set: This will come in handy if something breaks in your dorm, say a closet rack, and will also be something that others will seek out when they have issues in their rooms.
-Small Refridgerator & Microwave: UT has a service that you can rent both of these for the year and then not have to deal with them at the end of the year, but it is nice to have your own mini fridge for sodas or gatorade as well as a microwave to heat up leftovers or make raman noodles.

Although this is not a complete list, UT provides a packing list that has more suggestions for dorm packing!

One big suggestion I make is for those of you who are coming to Tampa from out of state, I urge you to wait until you get down here to buy everything. Bring what you have from home, but DO NOT buy all your dorm supplies at home because it will be a huge pain to transport everything. There are SO many places just a few miles away from UT that you can get dorm stuff (Wal-Mart, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.) as well as two big malls in the area as well.