As college students, we are constantly on a budget and every dollar counts. There are some things I brought but I didn’t really need to live on campus. I gave you 10 things to bring to campus when you move in, but now here are some things you should not or do not have to bring to campus.
- A mattress. Not only is a mattress included in your room it is also not allowed due to fire hazard reasons. (But peep my other blog that mentions mattress pads!)
- Broom/Vacuum. The Office of Housing and Residence Life has vacuums/brooms you can use so there is no need to buy or bring one.
- Throw pillows. Although they look really cool in pictures and makes your room look nice, it won’t last. They will just take up space on your bed. Sometimes they will just fall on the floor and sometimes just stay there for the rest of the year.
- A fan. You won’t need a fan until spring semester. All residence halls on campus also have air conditioning. The only time you’ll need one is that gap between winter and spring where that New Jersey weather has commitment issues so its super cold in the morning and super-hot in the afternoon.
- A clock/alarm clock. It’s 2020 and most all of us have cell phones. You don’t really need a clock or an alarm clock because it’s conveniently in our cell phones. Plus, I learned clocks/ alarm clocks are quite expensive.
- A small desk lamp. It’s better to save your money on this. The desks provided in your rooms have a built in light.
- A TV. This is unfortunate but a TV will just be a distraction in your room. Although every room has the capability of having cable TV it just isn’t worth the distraction. If you really need to watch TV or you’re having a movie night, the main lounges have multiple TVs in them. In our modern era, we also have the ability to watch movies through Netflix and Hulu via our laptops or computers.
- A fridge. There is a mini fridge and a microwave provided in every room in the Towers so you do not have to bring one! Plus, those things are super expensive. All the residence halls on campus will have a fridge as well so you won’t need it after your first year.
- A printer. There is a computer room in every residence hall that includes printers. Rutgers—Camden also provides you with all the printing money you will need. It is an unnecessary buy that will be very costly.
- Too much clothing. You don’t need to bring your entire closet from home! It will be such a hassle to move all those clothes in and out. Bring what you need seasonally. Leave your summer clothes at home during Thanksgiving break and switch it out for your Fall/Winter clothes. There is no need to bring all your clothes at once.
Written by Philip E., a Rutgers—Camden Undergraduate Student and Raptor Ambassador.