The Best $5 You Can Spend When Moving to College

If you are reading this, odds are you are in the process of moving into college. You may be nervous, stressed, or confused on what you need to do moving forward. There are a thousand college checklists you can read while preparing for the move or shopping or materials, but outside of the basic necessities for your first year like clothes, toiletries, etc., there is one item that is absolutely crucial to have, and it only costs $5. If you're like me, you are probably worried about how you will make new friends and acclimate to the college environment. Maybe you are going to college with a friend, or several friends. I myself moved to a school where I knew absolutely nobody. Whatever your situation is, you can always benefit from getting to know as many people as possible. So I would argue that the most important item to bring to school with you is a rubber doorstop. Yes, a doorstop. The college environment is so much different than what you are probably used to. If you struggle with making friends or meeting new people, all you need to do is open your door and prop it open with a doorstop. Then you can sit back and wait for something to happen. You can do homework, unpack, watch TV, whatever. If you are watching sports, odds are someone walking past will stop by to chat about it. The same goes with you favorite show or movie, it doesn't matter. The dorm life is oftentimes very active, with people from all over campus constantly passing by. You don't need to keep up with this all year, but maybe during the first week. Getting to know the people on your floor is so important, and practicing this method will keep you from awkwardly walking past the person who lives next to you every day but whose name you don't know. It's cheap, it's small, and it is so helpful. And if you have absolutely no problem making friends, you will probably want a way to keep your door open anyway. So do yourself a favor, buy a doorstop.