Second Semester Supply List

During the summer, I posted a supply list for all of my incoming first-year students. Today seemed like a good day to give you an updated list for the Spring semester.

With any luck, you left most of your collected life's works in your dorm room over the Winter Break (minus clothes, favorite toys, and your Snugee). So what should you keep in your dorm and what should you leave at the parental unit's place? What new things do you need? Let's start with the junk:

Throw Out Your:
1). Crap that didn't get used. You know you overpacked for the Fall semester. Look through your stuff and get your hands on anything that hasn't been opened or used in the entire time you've been at school...put that in the "To Go" pile.
2). Trash. For God's sake, clean up your dorm room! I swear you will feel a hundred times better making a "clean" start in the new semester. Get some Clorox wipes and disinfect every surface of that room.
3). Moldy Dishes. I know there are students out there who have bowls and plates that are starting to grow legs (and possibly spinal columns). Put the poor creatures out of their misery and just trash them. Clean the rest of your dishes (in a sink...with lots of hot, soapy water. If necessary, just let them sit until they stop smelling so badly!)
4). Old Books. Now, when I say "throw out", I obviously mean, "make as much of a profit on as is humanly possible," but you get the general idea. If you're not going to use the book in the Spring semester, don't leave it lying around.
5). Extra Clothes. You KNOW you overpacked shorts and tee-shirts and things that aren't "seasonally" appropriate right now. You also know that you'll be making another trip home between now and the end of the semester (probably around Spring Break time). Be strategic and swap out your wardrobe!

Keep Your:
1). Favorite Clothes. I bet there was at least one outfit that you wore ALL THE TIME during the Fall semester. A favorite sweatshirt, pair of jeans, or tee-shirt might be the thing that makes you feel better during a crappy day (or you might have a lucky sweatshirt for tests!)
2). Favorite/Most Useful Books. Are you taking a class this semester that is the continuation of a class from last semester? You should probably keep last semester's books as a reference!
3). Favorite Foods/Dishes, etc. You now know what you like to eat at school (both in your dorm and in the dining hall). Maximize your dining dollars by eating the things your CAN'T get at the dining hall in your dorm!

Useful New Stuff:
1). The New Year's Resolution. I bet there was at least one instance during the Winter Break when you said, "next semester, I'm going to..." Now is your chance to start off on the right foot! If you wanted to be more organized, get that planner I told you to buy for the Fall semester and actually USE IT! Buy a wall calendar to put up in your dorm room. If you want to save money for Spring Break, get a computer program (like Quicken or Apple Money) to keep track of your expenses.
2). Now you know...You spent all last semester figuring out what this whole college thing is all about, and chances are you probably figured out a lot. So put some of that learning to good use! If you figured out that you hate using binders, try something new for the Spring semester! Change up the way you did things if you weren't as successful as you wanted to be.
3). A Fresh Start. No matter what, remember that the Spring semester is a chance (even if you got off to a bad start academically) to make different choices. So my best advice is this: take a new attitude with you. What doesn't work for you should be left behind. You don't have to stick with something just because that's how you've always done it. You CAN change.