You + Roomate

Face it, dorm rooms are small, and there is no way you could fit in two microwaves, two refrigerators, etc... Chances are your school will some how set you up with your roommate before school starts, so just talk it out. Figure out expenses before you go out and buy everything, since at the end of the year, unless you guys stick together, you're going to have to split up everything between yourselves.

Microwave-Fridge

Maybe the most important thing you can buy if you want to eat between meals, even if you just want your ramen noodles, is a microwave. Next to that it's a fridge, especially for your soda (yes, soda), but both are near necessities. You should have little problem finding a microwave-fridge combo that's also small enough to fit easily into your dorm room. Just as a little side note, don't forget a can opener. If you're completely stuck, here's a few models we'd recommend:

  • Compact Fridge
  • Tall: Frigidaire FRC05L5D[B]
  • Medium: Kenmore 9277[9]
  • Microwave
  • Compact: Sharp R-216LS
  • Mid-sized: Kenmore (Sears) 6325[2]
  • Best option though is a MicroFridge combo!

Printer

Particularly if your school doesn't offer its own printers, you need one. We'd would highly recommend you get an all-in-one printer - one that also has a copier, scanner (OCR is also a nice feature... text recognition so your can scan in documents and turn them into a word document), and possibly a fax machine all built-in. And also, after that terrible night where the power went out and your lost your 7 page paper, don't top it off by forgetting paper and ink for the morning after!

TV + Cables

If you want to watch TV, chances are your cable plug is in the most inconvenient place of the entire room. Grab some extra-long cables, and you'll be good to go. And yes, you'll still want the remore.

Lighting

Lighting is... well... minimal at best. Especially if you find the dim and flickering overhead fluorescent lighting doesn't float your boat, you might want to get a floor standing lamp to light the room, or a desk lamp for when your roommate is already passed out on their bed. Avoid halogen lighting, and check if your school has any specific restrictions on what you can bring.

Gaming System

If you choose to get a TV (or you have a really big laptop), why not step it up and throw in an Xbox? or Playstation 3? or Wii? or just go crazy with your computer games. Just be careful - don't let your LAN party get too crazy.

Stereo

Whether you're a self-respecting audiophile, or you just plan on having countless dorm room dance parties, the built-in speakers on your computer or TV are not going to cut it. Pick something out that is what you want - standalone speakers, how many speakers, subwoofer, built-in CD player or audio input, etc.

Coffee Maker

How do you expect to wake up without caffeine after all those all-nighters? Especially if you drink coffee already, don't try to cut the habit your first week of school. If you're going to stick with it, grab your own coffee maker... you may save a lot by brewing at home rather than stopping at Starbucks every day.

Hair Dryer

Chances are, if you're bringing one of these, you've been using one for a while, and already have in mind what type of dryer you're bringing. Just be sure to coordinate it with your rommmate if you need one, and who's bringing it. If not, here's one we liked: