Items that students forgot or were glad they had included an ottoman, a reading lamp, scissors, an extension cord and a hair curler, all pictured here.
Move-in is here. You’ve gone over your checklist, prepared everything you could think of and now you’re settling in at Drexel University. But there’s always going to be that one thing you forgot, or something you didn’t even know you needed.
If you’re looking to stock up on your forgotten items, there are a few ways to acquire them. You can ask to borrow a friend’s, learn to navigate SEPTA to get to a store to purchase your own, look for local buy-nothing groups (including the Drexel Buy Nothing Depot, which recycles office supplies on campus) and even sign up for a Free Library of Philadelphia card and check out things like cookware, health and wellness equipment and even birding backpacks.
Current Drexel students shared what they didn’t bring to college that they wish they had, or what they wound up being extremely thankful that they’d remembered.
Charlotte Nelson, economics ’30: One thing I had to get from home was a curling iron and other things for fancier events. I didn’t realize how often you’d be getting invited to or wanting to go to events you’d need those kinds of things for. I figured I’d mostly be going to class and the library.
Joe Luisi, software engineering ’30: I was glad I brought a mattress topper because the beds can be pretty uncomfortable. The day I was moving in, I jumped on the bed and it sounded like wood.
Also, having your own coffee maker is nice. I didn’t start drinking coffee until college and having that helped a lot.
Saanvi Vereddigari, biological sciences ’30: I was really glad I had my Woozoo fan, because it got super hot in the dorm sometimes and I just really had to have it. My friends had fans that broke, but this one stayed strong. I wished I had brought scissors, because it’s something you don’t think about and I had to go find somewhere to buy them for projects and other things around my room.
Sophia Maruashvili, biological sciences ’30: I forgot to bring fabric softener, so laundry was kind of rough, but I was glad I brought an extension cord for my room.
Diego Gonzalez, biological sciences ’30: I forgot to bring a steamer to iron my clothes, but I was glad I brought a laundry basket with wheels, because I lived kind of far from the laundry room and having that made my life easier.
Anisha Agarwal, biology ’27: Something I wish I had brought was a stepstool/ottoman. The beds are raised pretty high, so I had to launch myself into bed the first week or so. I also recommend as much storage as possible for under your bed.
Sofia Arastu, BS economics and data science ’28: I was super grateful that I brought a formal dress because I was able to use it to go to many events during the year.
I wish that I had brought a reading lamp to attach to my bed. I think that I didn't read a bunch of books because I never wanted to sit at my desk to read, I wanted to lie in bed.