Roommate Contract / Should I live on Campus?

When you’re getting ready for college, you have to make a lot of decisions. Where to go? What scholarships should I apply for? Should I join an Honors program? Can I really afford this? Close to home or far away? Laptop made for gaming or one made for studying? Yes, yes, these are all very important questions. But, the one that gave us the most trouble was deciding whether or not we wanted to live on campus.

We weren’t extremely enthusiastic about having a dorm room, but Appalachian has a freshman policy that you must stay on campus your freshman year. And I’m glad we did! When it’s time for you to make this decision, you really should stay on campus at least one semester. It cuts out a lot of stress and travel time. Not to mention the fact that you immediately make several new friends: your roommate(s), neighbors, and hall mates. A dorm room may freak you out, but don’t worry; it isn’t as bad as it looks.

Just be sure to choose your dorm building carefully. If the college you finally choose to go to has options, check them out before hand. Some dorm buildings or floors may be designed for people with certain interests, majors or hobbies. Try to get into a dorm or hall where you will be surrounded by people that you have something in common with.
And be roommate picky! Don’t just get stuck with whomever your college tries to put you with. Search out a roommate ahead of time—someone from your school, someone you meet at orientation, even someone you find on Facebook. Some colleges offer to let you take a quiz (kind of like a personality test) that will match you with similar roommates. Do it!
Once you’re all moved in, set the ground rules. This is an important part of making the on campus experience go smoothly. You are going to be with your roommate for a while, so start off on the right foot. Jay and I knew each other pretty well (duh!) when we started rooming together. But, being sisters, we were doomed to fight from the start. What really helped us was the roommate agreement form the university made us fill out. It was basically a Roommate Contract that laid out the rules for us. And now we’ve made you one!

Your college may hand out one, but Jay and I feel like this one is a bit more comprehensive. We included the usual questions as well as some that resolves issues the two of us faced later on. We suggest talking to your roommate about it before you move in. If your university gives you one, fill it out. And then you can use this one and keep it between the two of you. Try filling it out the day you move in and getting it signed and ready. Then redo it at the start of each semester. This way, if your schedules changes or you feel like you need to try something new, you can work it all out.

To download a blank copy of Em and Jay’s Roommate Contract, simply click here! We’ve filled out an example contract below.

Dorm Room Supplies

It’s summer—or almost summer—for us! About this time last year, Jay and I started shopping around for everything we would need for college. I did a general Google search for “Dorm Room Supplies” and ended up dazed and confused. So this one’s for our followers who are getting ready to move on out! It’s our very own personal Dorm Room Supply list, made just for you.

Everything on this list ended up in our dorm room at one point in time—and yes, we actually used and needed all of it! To download the list in a Microsoft Word Document, simply click here. For those of you who can’t download it, don’t worry! I’m including it in this post.




Dorm Room Supplies 


This is Em & Jay’s take on a dorm room supply list. Remember—this is just what we think you might need! There could be a few things omitted or a few things you don’t agree with. You don’t need to follow this list perfectly in order to be prepared. Chances are, after you move in, you’ll realize that some of the things you packed are unnecessary and just take up too much space, while some of the things you left at home should have been packed. Items that are marked with a diamond (♦) may be purchased with your roommate. In other words, you don’t really need two of them so try to coordinate with your roomie about who will get it. Items marked with a heart (♥) may be purchased on arrival. I.E. you don’t have to pack them. You can run to Wal-Mart or the Dollar Tree and pick them up after you’re settled into your new room.

Linens/Laundry
  • ♦ Small Iron
  • Hamper
  • ♥ Detergent, Dryer Sheets
  • Two twin sized sets of sheets
  • Twin size comforter
  • Pillow
  • Blanket
  • Mattress Pad
  • Two towels and Washcloths
  • Small Sewing Kit
  • Lint Brush
  • Dark Curtains
  • Change for the laundry
Personal Care 
  • Shower Caddy and Shower Shoes
  • ♥ Soap, Shampoo, Conditioner
  • Hair Dryer
  • ♥ Toothbrush and Toothpaste
  • Deodorant
  • Hair Brush/Comb and Products
  • Razor
  • Manicure Set
  • ♥ Feminine Care Products
  • Makeup
  • Cotton balls and Q-tips
  • First Aid Box
    • Band-Aids
    • Neosporin
    • Tweezers
    • Rubbing Alcohol
    • Thermometer 
    • Tylenol/etc.
    • Cough Drops
    • Allergy Medicine
    • Pepto-Bismol
    • Icyhot/etc.
Electronics/Appliances
  • Laptop Computer and Charger
  • ♦ Printer, Ink and Paper
  • Cell Phone and Charger
  • Surge Protectors
  • Alarm Clock
  • Batteries
  • Digital Camera and Memory Card
  • ♦ Mini-Fridge/Micro-Fridge
  • ♦ Coffee Pot
  • ♦ TV and DVD player
  • ♦ Vacuum or Broom
  • ♦ Heater/Box Fan
Desk Supplies
  • Pens, Pencils and Highlighters
  • Stapler and extra Staples
  • Three-Hole Punch
  • Scissors
  • Paper clips and/or Rubber bands
  • Post It Notes and Flash cards
  • Calculator
  • Push Pins
  • Envelopes and Stamps
  • Calendar
Storage/Organization 
  • Detachable Hooks/Wall tape
  • Closet/Shoe Organizer
  • Hangers
  • Under-the-Bed storage units
  • Storage Containers
  • Bed Raisers
Necessities
  • Driver’s License
  • Social Security Card
  • Health Insurance Information
  • Emergency Numbers
  • Emergency Cash
Extras 
  • Plates, Bowels, Utensils
  • Hand towel/dish cloth
  • Cups and Coffee Mug
  • Chip Clips
  • Dish Soap
  • ♦ Can Opener
  • ♥ Paper Towels/Napkins
  • ♥ Tissues
  • Trash Can and Trash Bags
  • Screwdriver
  • Light Bulbs
  • ♦ Area Rug
  • Small Dry Erase Board
  • Mirror
  • ♦/♥ Cleaning Supplies
  • Anything else you can think of :)

Welcome to Em & Jay's Guide!

Hey everyone and welcome to Em & Jay’s Guide to Life on Your Own!

This is our first blog post so we thought we’d let you know a little more about what’s going on. The two of us just completed our freshman year of college at Appalachian State University. Life on our own was a bit surprising. So we decided to adopt this project- blogging about our experiences and tips to help you transition into life on your own! It doesn’t matter if you’ve already made the transition, are about to make it, or have a while to go. We’ll be blogging about plenty of things- stuff from things you’ll need, to quick recipes, to cheap decorating ideas.

Feel free to browse around the blog. Our home page is where you’ll find our posts. Under the Information tab, you’ll find a little blurb about us, what we’ll be doing, where we get our inspiration, and links to some of our favorite must have products. If you have a question you want answered or a suggestion about what we should blog about, check out the Contact tab!

So thanks again for stumbling on this, and if you like it, please subscribe and/or connect with us on facebook!

Keep on reading to see our first blog post!

Em & Jay