Whiter Teeth for Back-to-School, Whenever That May Be

You can find plenty of lists to tell you what to bring to college with you, but equally important is what NOT to bring. Therefore, we have put together a list of 10 things you should not bring with you to college.

1. High school memorabilia – You’re starting a whole new chapter of your life and you don’t need to bring a bunch of stuff to remind you of your high school years. Bring one special piece and leave it at that.
2. Your entire shoe collection – Whether you collect sneakers or high heels, leave the majority of your shoes at home. Bring one pair of athletic shoes, one dress-up pair of shoes, and one comfortable pair of flat casuals. Full stop.
3. Your book collection – Face it, you’re not going to have a lot of time to read in college. If you do, you’ve likely got one of the best libraries in the state at your school, so when you get the rare opportunity to read for pleasure, check out a book.
4. School supplies – You have no idea what you’re going to need in college. It’s not the same as high school, and you’re probably not going to use that cute jar of 500 multi-colored, heart-shaped paper clips. Wait until you get into your classes and then buy what you need.
5. Appliances – You don’t need - nor do you have room for - your toaster oven, Keurig coffee maker, or Ninja blender. You can get toast, coffee, and smoothies at the school cafeteria. Plus, those appliances aren’t usually allowed in dorms.
6. Anything valuable – College students lose things. You may lose them in the general hubbub of changing rooms at some point, in a card game, or down a vent where they can’t be recovered, but the rule is, if it’s valuable financially or sentimentally, you will lose it. Leave it home.
7. Your entire wardrobe – Even in climates where it’s warm all year, you’ll have clothes that are for particular seasons. Bring what you will actually wear NOW, and you can always make a trip home and swap some items out when it gets chillier.
8. Items your roommate is bringing – Contact your roommate as early as possible and discuss who will bring a throw rug, who will bring a TV, and other items that you don’t want to double up on.
9. A printer – Your college library or tech center has printers. You will begrudge the space if you bring your own, guaranteed.
10. Anything the college provides – Maybe your room already has an iron and ironing board. Maybe it even has a coffee machine! Find out what your college provides before you bring duplicate items that you end up stuffing in the back of your closet.