Dorm Packing Supply List for Incoming Freshmen Part III
Another Dorm Essentials Packing Article You Need to Read. Because you never know: it could be you.
A student may have to leave their dorm in an emergency.
Or leave campus.
Or they might have to lockdown in their dorm.
Well, lockdowns are distressing enough… and then you add 2020…
Evolution of the College “Go” Bag: The purpose of the pre-2020 Go-Bag was to get a student through a scenario that would cut electricity, or force a student to flee due to a weather event or building structure failure. Or hideout due to a criminal presence or other heightened military alerts.
New Go-Bags also prepare for a student having to leave their dorm and isolate in another location for medical reasons. Or be quarantined in their room. And don’t forget if the sick student stays, the healthy roommate(s) must go. Diagnosis can come fast, leaving a student unable to go shopping for essentials.
What to pack now?
Pre-2020 Go-Bag
- Backpack or bag that contains emergency items
- Prescription Medications
- Flashlight (and extra batteries)
- Cell phone Charge Cord and Portable Charger (these should never leave the bag, so take good care of your everyday chargers!)
- Phone Earphones (again, not for daily use, so they don’t even have to be the cool earphones. Just make sure they fit your phone.)
- Pens and Small Notebook
- Copies of Durable Power of Attorney, Health Proxy with HIPAA Authorization (see Part I article “THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS THAT FRESHMEN MUST BRING TO COLLEGE”.)
- Printout of Key Contact Information: phone numbers and emails of doctors, parents and other key relatives, roommates and roommates’ parents.
- List of Medical Conditions, including allergies and current prescriptions
- Hand Sanitizer
- Rubber Gloves
- Clean Zip-loc Baggies of various sizes (include some large baggies to store soiled items)
- Bandages
- Anti-Bacterial Ointment
- Alcohol Pads
- Painkillers Acetaminophen or Ibuoprofen (example: aka Tylenol and Motrin)
- Thermometer (with extra batteries)
- Facial Tissues
- Toilet Paper (small roll, flattened to fit in the backpack) enclosed in a baggie
- Pocket-sized Comb and Scrunchies
- Feminine Hygiene Products
- Toothpaste and Toothbrush (you may not have time to get the one you use — or it may be infected)
- Travel-sized Toiletries: shampoo, soap, lotion
- Snack Bars: a week’s worth is good (check expiration dates before packing and plan to switch out fresh ones as needed each semester)
- A few changes of Socks, Underwear, Pajamas, soft comfy Pants and a couple of T-Shirts
- Blanket: either a fleece throw or a stadium blanket like this one. Stadium blankets can also be used as a cape with a hood and fold into a small portable size:
Post 2020: New Additions to That College Go-Bag
- Extra Face Masks
- Playing Cards
- WordSearch/Sodoku/Crossword Puzzle Book(s): days will be long, especially without electricity!
- Electrolyte Powder to put in water (example: Pedialyte, Gatorade, Propel, Emergen-C, Ultima Replenisher)
- Cough and Cold Medicine (example: Robitussin, Mucinex)
- Cold and Flu Syrup (example: NyQuil and DayQuil)
- Zinc Lozenges
- Vitamin C Mega Dose tablets
- Anti-Nausea Medicine (example: Pepto Bismol)
- Anti-Diarrheal Medicine (example: Kaopectate)
Nothing is certain, so it’s best to prepare in advance for difficult times and hope that you never have to use the Go Bag!
