Sam has officially moved back into college for the year andddddd I’m super sad about it. Well, not totally sad. Sam loves Quinnipiac University, and her dorm this year is fabulous. She has great friends, loves her major, and it’s overall the best place for her. So, in that sense, I’m super happy! But, I’m already bored without her and can’t wait to see her in a couple weeks.
You may have seen a glimpse of Sam’s dorm on my Instagram story. This is the 6th time my parents have moved in a college student (thanks for moving me in all four years!) and, to be honest, we’ve gotten really good at it. Over the years, I’ve developed a list of *essentials* for the college dorm, and Sam found some cool stuff for this year I wish I had for my own dorm!
Sam’s “Good Vibes” Pillow is from Target, the Comforter is from Bed, Bath and Beyond, the fuzzy sherpa blanket, and the world tapestry is also from Bed, Bath and Beyond!
Sam and I both have very different *dorm life* experiences. She lives on a beautiful New England campus, with dorms that are a bit more spacious. I lived in apartment style dorms in New York City. I was lucky enough to live in Gramercy for my last two years, a dorm (and NYC neighborhood) that was by far the best on campus. At NYU, your dorm has the potential to really be your main community, and I befriended all the security cards (they loved their Dunkin’ gift cards at Christmas!) and even got to use the gym in our building! However, Sam’s bedroom is much larger, and gives you the flexibility to be a bit more creative.
This was my dorm after I moved out senior year :'( #1805Gram But, can you see the difference in size already?!
First things first, you need a great comforter. I, personally, prefer a lightweight comforter with a fuzzy blanket for colder nights. I think the blanket always adds a homey touch while also being, obviously, super useful. I used a PBteen comforter all four years. To my surprise, my 2012 comforter is no longer available (lol) BUT, if I had a dorm again and was 18, I would choose this one by Emily and Merritt for PBteen. I would choose the nude blush and be allllll about those accent pillows.
I also find a rug to be super important. Personally, I love putting my feet down on a soft rug when I get out of bed in the morning. But, in college, a lot more people are in and out of your bedroom and things can get dirty. It’s better to choose a rug that isn’t shag, as cute as they are, so stuff doesn’t get caught up in it. Get something that’s easily vaccuum-able! I personally love this Geometric Blush rug from Target. It’s only $30, and perfect for dorm life! 
We all know that, in a lot of dorms, a shower caddy is necessary. I only needed one my freshman year, because every year after that I only shared a shower with one other person. Sam shares a shower with six other girls, sooooo they need shower caddies in their room. A mesh shower caddy is always better because it prevents mold and all that gross stuff from developing. This pink one from Pottery Barn is perfect, but you can find great ones at Target and Marshall’s too! Oh, and buy flip flops!!
I gotta tell you. None of the Murdock girls have ever had a trunk at school. However, I think it’s safe to say that, if given the option, I would’ve taken one. It’s great for storage for any extra blankets or chunky sweaters and it’s ADORABLE. The perfect mix of my Harry Potter obsession and cute college life. This one is very close to the gold Emily and Merritt one I wanted my junior year of college. 
I always had a full length mirror on the back of my door in college. That is standard and you should totally have one! But, since I was sharing a bathroom, I always wanted a mirror I could do my makeup at if I had too. I had this exact mirror in college and, honestly, I think it made the room look more spacious and less dorm-ish. Definitely a nice touch for the room and so needed.
Lighting is so necessary in a dorm because, a lot of the time, there’s only one window in the whole room. I always made sure to have both a desk lamp AND a floor lamp in my bedroom. It added a lot of lighting and made for a cozy room at nighttime when I was doing my homework. I love this desk lamp from PBteen, it’s close to the one Sam found at home goods on her desk, and then I love this floor lamp from Wayfair. A perfect combo! 
It’s always nice to have an organized beauty area at school. Even if it’s on your desk or a floating shelf, to have a place where all of your beauty tools belong makes everything so much neater and more organized for such a small space. This PBteen beauty organizer makes it easy to keep your brushes, makeup, perfume and hair products all in one place!
One thing that Sam added that I wish I had thought of was this marble sticky paper for her desk. It brightens up the whole room and is literally something I plan on using on my future teacher desk. It looks like the desk has a beautiful marble finished and I’m so in love with it! Not going to lie, it was tricky to get on just right, but I think I did a good job. (Yes, I put it on.) Below is a photo of it on Sam’s desk! So pretty!
It’s so fun shopping for college! I always felt it was a process everyone should enjoy. It’s the beginnings of the life on your own, so everything from your comforter to detergent can be fun to buy!
What were some of your favorite college essentials??
