My name is Marena and I’m a student at UCF in Orlando. The weather does not change too much here but it does drop to the low 40’s at times. The change of seasons requires different clothes and different activities.

Leaving for college is an exciting time for any student, but especially for freshmen leaving the nest for the first time. Now I’m sure if you’re like me you will look up a ton of different ‘college lists’ when you start shopping and packing for school, and they’re super helpful, but not always reflective of what you’ll actually use.

When I was first moving in to my dorm at the University of Florida, I was quite nervous as to what to expect. When I entered my dorm room for the first time, I saw that there were two twin sized beds, two desks, two closets, and two drawers for your clothes. I was not surprised at all that my dorm looked extremely plain and bland. 

You traveled, you packed, you even bought a handheld steamer (I know, technology these days), but nothing can ever fully prepare you for the feeling you get when you create your home away from home in a freshman dorm room. Move in is crazy and hectic, but when you catch yourself leaving the library announcing to your new friends that you’re headed home, and it really does feel like home, every list you made and box you carried becomes instantly worth it. In order to achieve this feeling of comfort in a new place with a room you are most likely sharing with a stranger, you have to know what to get. 

Here's what you need to bring to college to make dorm-life a breeze.

Our University of Florida On-Campus Specialist Daniela Suarez-Rivero shares her college dorm checklist for moving into the dorms at UF.