JMU Dorm freshman packing list
Image courtesy of Kayleigh (Dorm room on East Campus)
We know that it can be really stressful to prepare for your first time away from home dorm room experience as you move to Harrisonburg to attend JMU in the fall. We’ve asked one of our students at the BCM to share her wisdom on the items that were most helpful for her for her freshman and sophomore year at James Madison University. Thank you, Kayleigh!
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Packing List: First Dorm Experience
Packing for college can be stressful and intimidating. Trust me, I’ve been in your shoes before. It’s important that you know in advance what to bring, what not to bring, and what you or your family may need to purchase before the big move in. The key here is time and preparation. Give yourself an ample amount of time to tour the dorm you’ll be living in, gather a list of what to bring, and make a list of what to buy. Once you take these three key steps, you’ll be on your way to a successful move-in. If you wait until the last minute to complete these steps, you’ll be extremely overwhelmed and underprepared. The summer before my sophomore year, I waited until the night before move-in to pack. Let’s just say, I only got 4 hours of sleep that night. This made me grumpy and stressed on move-in day, so take this as an opportunity to learn from my mistake. Also, don’t wait until move-in day to make your stops at Walmart, Target, etc. Places like this are PACKED on move-in day, and everything will be picked over by the time you get there. You will likely forget a few small things the day of, and that’s okay, but don’t bank on the fact you’ll get your whole packing list at Walmart the day of move-in, because it won’t work. Now that you understand the importance of giving yourself enough time in advance, here’s a general list of what I recommend packing for your dorm. Remember, this list is generalized and can be shortened or lengthened depending on your budget, gender, preferences, and the size and layout of your dorm.
