College Back to School List

This year, heading back to college looks a little different than in past year. Whether you’re choosing to move back to campus and take classes in person, or stay with your parents and take classes online, there are a few key tips you should follow to have a productive year.

School Supplies Ideas for Back to College

Dorm Room Essentials

Before you even get to your dorm room, you need to figure out a plan for your room: what you need to bring, what appliances you need, what extra storage you need, and how the room should be set up to optimize space. There is a tendency to over pack when you leave for school. Being organized and making a checklist are recommended to make the move easier. Consult with your roommate over larger items such as a mini refrigerator, TV, DVD player, audio equipment, microwave, coffee maker and decorations.

It is crucial to create a checklist of dorm room essentials. Some dorm room essentials include:

• Bedding
• Comforter
• Pillows
• Desk supplies
• Electronic supplies
• Storage and organization items
• Laundry and cleaning items
• Kitchen supplies
• Toiletries
• Clothing

This year, it’s also important to pack masks, hand sanitizer, medicine and food supplies in case you get sick.

Tips for Taking College Courses From Home

While college may look a little different this year for some students, that doesn’t mean it won’t be a successful academic year. If you’ll be taking college classes online, it’s important to follow a few key tips to set yourself up for success!

• Designate a workspace: While you may not be used to taking college courses online, your family is likely not used to it as well. In order to have a productive, distraction-free school year, it’s important to designate a workspace in your home. If you have the space to transform a room into an office, this would be a great solution for the school year. If not, consider adding a desk or workspace to your bedroom or another quiet room.
• Invest in a second monitor: If you’re used to working on homework in the library, you may be used to using a second monitor. For the school year, consider adding in a second monitor to your workspace.
• Hold yourself accountable: When attendance isn’t in person, it can be tempting to drift off during online courses. But, it’s important to keep in mind that making a habit of this can cause your grades to slip. As a good rule of thumb for the school year, treat your online courses as seriously as you took your in-person courses.
• Keep your home office distraction-free: Similar to your workspace at school, it’s essential to keep your home office distraction-free. Avoid putting a TV in your home office and limit your social media time during the school day.

The Benefits of Using Self Storage for College Students

A majority of college students use self storage to store their dorm or apartment items during the summer months to reduce the amount of items they have to take with them during the break or if they are away from campus. However, renting a self storage unit is actually a great storage option for students throughout the year. A self storage facility’s security features will give a student peace of mind that their belongings are safe and secure. Most self storage facilities offer month-to-month rentals that are perfect for a college student’s budget. Storage facilities offer a variety of storage unit sizes which can be both climate and non-climate controlled. Depending on the size of the storage unit that they choose, students can store everything from bicycles to winter comforters. Storage units are perfect for storing excess furniture, clothing, kitchen items, books, mattresses, comforters and linens.
For those that are taking college courses from home, a storage unit rental allows you to create a productive office space. If the space you chose for your office is crowded with furniture, boxes of miscellaneous items, clothing and more, it can be hard to remain focused. Instead, consider placing these items into a storage unit rental until you need them again.

ezStorage Has Convenient Student Storage Unit Rentals

Are you looking for storage near campus or your home? ezStorage has storage units all throughout Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC and Northern Virginia, including in Alexandria, MD, Takoma Park, MD and in Randallstown, MD on Liberty Rd. We’ve also recently rolled out a contactless rental option, which allows our renters to reserve a storage unit from the safety of their home. Rent a storage unit with ezStorage today!