Deciding what to bring to college made easier by Web sites, checklists

The ideal college checklist: comforter, alarm clock, desk lamp ... and duct tape?

The frantic quest for dorm room supplies has begun. And Sarah Wilson, an incoming freshman at Presbyterian College in Clinton, is searching the aisles, list in hand.

"I've made my own checklist based on what my college told me each dorm room already had and what else I thought I would need," says Wilson.

She's shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond, Walmart, Belk and online stores for her supplies.

For those who don't want to create their own, retailers often offer college checklists in stores or online.

Catherine Gentile, public relations manager of Bed, Bath & Beyond, says the company serves to make the college process "simple and stress-free" for both incoming freshmen and their parents.

The store's Web site also offers information on college life from other sources. For example, freshmen and their parents can read

about eating healthy in college from the National Women's Health Resource Center, a nonprofit organization.

Lindsay Sasser, a rising junior at the College of Charleston, used checklists to shop for her freshman year. But because she lived in New Hampshire, she decided to wait until arriving on campus to shop for most of her supplies. By seeing her room first, she could assess the amount of space she had and then shop locally for what she needed.

Many items, even ones that she thought might not be needed, are included. Sasser remembers thinking she didn't need a shower caddy.

"I thought it would be too big and clunky." She bought one anyway, and it turned out to be one of her most useful items throughout the year.

"It really helped me keep things in one place and out of the way," she says.

Another recommended item: duct tape, which can fix anything.

Sasser says she hardly used the bulletin board she bought for her room. "It took up space, and I could never really figure out what to put on it."

She also regretted bringing large, plastic storage bins because she couldn't find a convenient place to put them in her small room.

Sasser checked to see if her school prohibited any items in dorms, so she wouldn't buy anything she couldn't bring. Most colleges include a list of items not allowed in dorms, usually available on their Web sites.

As far as decorating goes, Wilson is communicating with her roommate in advance to decide who should bring certain items, such as a microwave or mini-fridge, but she's bought a few things to please herself.

By including a slice of your personality in your dorm room, adjusting to life away from all that's familiar can be a little easier, says Dr. Christiana DeGregorie, licensed psychologist in the counseling and substance abuse services at the College of Charleston.

"Being able to create a comfortable, familiar environment with things from home, like food, pictures or the local paper can help a student feel connected to his or her home," she says.

Bed, Bath & Beyond suggests putting a Dry Erase board on your door, if your school allows it, for yourself or others to leave messages. This can be a fun way to interact with, and get to know, your hallmates, too.

Sasser loved the shelving unit she bought at Target for her freshman dorm. She could use the shelves for storing books, photos and other meaningful items, helping to decorate her space.

To show her personality, Wilson has bought pink, yellow and coral bedding decorated with palm trees, pink lamps and pink organizer bins for her room. "I like for everything to match and flow together," she says.

However, for freshman cadets at The Citadel, personalizing one's room isn't an option. Col. John Powell, director of admissions and graduate of The Citadel, explains that the school sends cadets a list of items to bring for their barracks.

This is not just a suggested list. It is exactly what cadets will need. Cadets are instructed to bring certain amounts of clothing and sheets for their bed, and one 8x10 picture frame for their room. First-year cadets are not allowed to bring televisions or refrigerators.

For cadets, Powell says, the photo in their picture frame is the only personal item they can have. These restrictions make shopping for rooms at The Citadel a much simpler and straightforward process.

But it does point out the need to check the college's suggested list. No need to arrive at college with too much stuff that will just have to go back home.

Whichever college experience you choose, though, a smart shopping rule of thumb is to keep things "simple and stress-free."