When we were prefrosh, trying to wrap our minds around NUTV was about as fruitful as throwing a kegger in Hobart: it was just not going to happen. But we trusted Northwestern, left our TVs at home, and guess what? Everything turned out fine. Only nine percent of NU students recommended bringing a TV to campus. Read on to find out which other items are a bust — and which are essential.

More lamps. Yes. Be forewarned: many freshman dorms do not have overhead lighting, and the lamp NU provides would have been rejected by the Maccabees. So should you bring extra lamps? Fifty-seven percent of students said yes, although about half of those students said to wait to buy them in Evanston. It was a matter of personal preference (and eyesight) to the 32 percent who said “maybe, if you’d like,” and 11 percent said not to bother.

Wal-Mart Spider Floor and Table Lamp, 2-Piece Set, $39.98. This takes up the floor space of just one lamp, but provides the light of five bulbs. Plus, its funky, bright colors will keep you cheery, and its mini table version makes it look like your lamp had a baby. Come on, that’s cute.

–

Under-bed storage boxes. Probably. True story: you will not need your Speedo collection in February (unless you run out of underwear and go into back-up mode… that’s another story), so you’ll want a place to keep stuff out of the way. That’s why 57 percent of students said to pack (30 percent) or buy locally (27 percent) under-bed storage boxes. Twenty-five percent said “maybe,” while 18 percent preferred to keep their Speedo collection in plain view. Hmm.

Sterilite Ultra Latch Storage Box, $64.99. “It fits right under your bed, and you can open it from one side so you don’t have to take the whole thing out,” said Kristin Klingbeil, a manager at the Evanston Target.

–

Half of NU students said to pack costume clothes in your suitcase. Photo by Tracy Fuad / NBN.

Shoe rack. Probably not. Your need for a shoe rack depends on the size of your shoe collection, according to NU students: 37 percent gave an ambivalent “maybe, if you’d like,” while only 19 percent said it was a must-pack item. Thirty-two percent said to forget about a shoe rack, and 13 percent said to remember to pick one up in Evanston.

–

Plastic cups/bowls/spoons Yes. College students are many things, but barbarians they are not: 35 percent of students said you’ll need these, but to buy them in Evanston, while 30 percent recommended packing plastic utensils from home.. Real bowls and spoons were rejected by NU students: just 18 percent said to pack them, 16 percent said to buy them, and 38 percent said not to bother (the rest were “maybe”s).

CVS Dinnerware, $2.59, and
CVS Party Cups 16-Ounce 20-Pack, $2.49. Please never pay more than $3 for plastic “dinnerware” from CVS. Also, the cups get our nod of approval because CVS acknowledges that they are, indeed, party cups. Beirut, anyone?

–

Mini vacuum. Maybe. You’ll need a better way to get the crumbs off your floor than yelling, “MOM!” Fifty-two percent of NU students said you’ll need to pack (30 percent) or buy (22 percent) a mini vacuum for school. However, there’s always someone down the hall whom you can borrow one from: 34 percent said you only “maybe” need a vacuum, and 14 percent flat-out said you don’t.

Dirt Devil 084100 Power Stick Vacuum, $38.58. Spring for this light full-length vacuum, which’ll keep your room cleaner than those generic hand-held ones will. Plus, when you’re the definitive source for the whole dorm’s suction needs (no pun… well, maybe), you’re going to be making friends left and right.

–

Trash bags. No. In college, there are no trash bags — just CVS bags. Leave this item at home, said 42 percent of NU students. Thirteen percent said “maybe.” If you just have to have your Heftys, buy them in Evanston, said 30 percent of students. Just 15 percent said to send ‘em through baggage claim.

–

Removable hooks. Yes. For all the stuff you need to hang. Now, you may be asking yourself, Just what exactly will I need to hang?! To which we reply: oh, you’ll have stuff to hang, if the 62 percent of students who said you’ll need removable hooks count for anything. They were split on packing/buying locally, while 16 percent said to do neither (and not buy them), and 22 percent shrugged “maybe.”

Command(TM) Hooks with Adhesive Strips, $2.22. “A lot of the removable hooks will leave stuff on the wall; you want ones that say on the package ‘Does not leave residue behind.’ 3M has that,” Klingbeil said.

–

TV. No! Ah, the big one. Are we sure you don’t need a TV? Yes, and 55 percent of students agree, saying “don’t bother.” Another 33 percent said “maybe.” Nine percent said to bring one, and four percent said to pick one up in Evanston. You will figure out NUTV. Maybe they’ll even offer Bravo this year…

–

Weird clothing for costumes. Yes. We’ll let the numbers speak first. Of all these items, more people said you needed to pack costume-worthy clothing than said you needed spoons. More people said you needed weird clothes than said you needed a freakin’ TV. Fifty percent of students said to pack funky costume clothes; 12 percent said to buy them locally; 24 percent said “maybe”; and a mere 14 percent nixed the idea altogether. Why are costume clothes a must-pack? Halloween and themed frat parties will leave you scrambling through your closet wondering what the most creative thing you can do with a pair of jeans is, if you don’t pack a good feather boa or cowboy hat. Be prepared: pack your tiara (this means you too, boys).

Want something quick that doesn’t require extra room in the suitcase? The sheet set I bought came with a flat sheet, and I’ll probably never use it. It can double as a cape, toga… anything!

–

[Back to top]
[Back to intro]