What to bring to Oberlin

First-years, this is for you.

There are lots of places to go that'll give you a list of stuff to bring to college. However, this is a few steps better: it's organized into Obvious Stuff and Not-So-Obvious Stuff, and has bonus Stuff You Might Want to Bring and Stuff Not to Bring sections.

Keep in mind that many of the things you should bring can be purchased in or around Oberlin, so you don't have to weigh down your suitcases with blank notebooks and spare printer paper. There's a hardware store, a general store, and a CVS downtown, and a K-Mart, Staples, and a mall within driving distance.

Oberlin also has an exiting new FREE STORE operated by the Oberlin Recyclers. Here you can take and give everything from coat hangers and clothing to school supplies.

There's also a web site about supporting Oberlin businesses: check out http://www.shopoberlin.org/.

[edit] Obvious Stuff

• warm, winter, and and wet-weather clothes
• a shower basket, toiletries, shower shoes
• sheets, pillows, a warm blanket, and another blanket (it gets cold)
• a good but not-too-noisy fan (it gets hot too, and you'll want to be able to sleep when it's on)
• extension cords, power strips (the outlet layout in most rooms is very bad)
• an alarm clock (make sure it can actually wake you up)
• laundry supplies (hamper, detergent, softener, whatever)
• credit/debit card (many things, including your textbooks, can be bought more cheaply online)

[edit] Not-So-Obvious Stuff

• snow boots ()
• a trash can (they're not included in the rooms)
• a phone (the ones included in many dorm rooms are pretty crappy)
• a desk lamp or three (most dorm rooms have harsh, too-bright fluorescent lights; don't bring a halogen lamp cause they're fire hazards)
• a floor lamp, so you can ignore the harsh, fluorescent lights altogether
• some basic medicine (painkillers, cough drops, Pepto-Bismol, what have you)
• Kleenex is always good (especially if you live in a co-op)
• DVDs (excellent way to pass time)
• twenty dollars in quarters (you'll need them, and if you don't you can sell them at a profit)
• a flashlight (you never know)
• skimpy clothes (see Safer Sex Night)
• every single cd that came with your computer (These come in handy when you have problems with your computer. Help Desk likes you a lot better if you have them.)
• a bulletin board if you live in Noah, Price, Harvey or Kade, as they are no longer provided for those rooms

[edit] Stuff You Might Want to Bring

• pots, pans, plates, silverware (if you want to cook your own food from time to time, and don't leave them in the kitchen because they will get stolen)
• an answering machine (if you don't want to deal with Oberlin's voice mail service and don't use a cell phone)
• hangers (but don't overpack, because thousands of hangers get thrown away at the end of every year, so only bring what you know you'll need)
• a sleeping bag (some students like to sleep outside in nice weather, or you never know when you're going to get sexiled)
• books for reference (bring them if you're actually going to read them, otherwise they're just going to weigh you down and take up room)
• a stereo or boom-box
• a mug
• a water bottle (unless you're an incoming first-year, in which case you'll be given an Oberlin Nalgene bottle)
• a bottle opener (if you don't know how to open a bottle with a lighter)
• scissors (note that if you bring a pocket knife, you might get scissors and a bottle opener at once!)
• a basic toolkit (hammer, some screwdrivers, a wrench)
• a printer (if you'd rather not rely on your print quota)
• mini fridge (lots of students have food stolen from the overly moldy, disgusting community fridges. besides, most dorms tend to overheat in the winter due to overactive heaters; it's nice to have a source of cool air)

[edit] Stuff Not to Bring

• fire hazards:
  • halogen lights (make sure the lamp you bring isn't a halogen one!)
  • hot plates
  • space heaters
  • electric blankets
  • furniture (desk chairs and beanbags are okay; nothing else is)
• non-swimmy pets (fish and turtles are okay, everything else isn't)
• books for fun (you probably won't have time or the desire to read and books take up a lot of space, but if you like your reading that much, go for it)
• if you do bring anything blatantly illegal, make sure it's well hidden during life safety inspections, or anytime an RA comes to call.
• excessive stuff that will just get thrown away (suggested)
  • your dorm room will barely be able to fit you, so packing it with lots of stuff will just make your space expensively cramped and create lots of trash at the end of the year.