SoFi Blog

Adjusting to college dorm life can mean experiencing a lot of overwhelming sensations at once: excitement, stress, homesickness, loneliness.

But life in the dorms doesn’t have to be a total culture shock. While you are used to the comforts of living at home now, preparing for dorm life can be made much easier with these tips for how to settle in.

Going on vacation sounds like a dream. After all, who doesn’t like jetting off to tropical destinations to sip on oceanside cocktails as the sun goes down? But, like anything in life, faraway vacation dreams can quickly turn into a nightmare.

Between planning, paying for, and actually taking time off work to go on a trip it can all become too overwhelming. So much so that you may choose to not go on a vacation at all, wasting your precious earned time off instead.

But, what if we told you there was a better way? Meet the “staycation.”

Let’s be real: shopping for your new dorm is one of the most exciting parts of going away to college. You might be leaving home for the first time ever, and are anxious to design a room that is somehow practical, comfortable, and well-designed all at once.

While there are plenty of lists that will tell you exactly what size sheets to bring and where to find the perfect set of plastic drawers, the reality is that there are some completely unexpected necessities you’ll need for your new home away from home. From multiple light sources to backup phone chargers, we’ve got you covered with our ultimate dorm room essentials list.

With your college acceptance letter in hand, you might feel like you’ve scored a free ride for the rest of the year. After a stressful fall of applying to schools and considering majors, the burnout is real. At this point, you might be tempted to let commitments slide and ride out the remainder of your senior year. Why do grades matter when you’re already on your way to your dream school?

Setting your kids up for success in school involves big decisions like finding the right school for them and juggling their after-school programs with classes and family time. But there are little needs along the way, too: like school supplies to make sure that your kid is ready to take on the school day.

Back to school shopping list can easily grow out of control–backpacks, shoes, clothes, crayons, pens, notebooks and more. Theses costs can add up. For some families, this means being on the lookout for back to school savings.

Doing more DIY projects instead of buying new supplies could potentially reduce the money you spend on back to school purchases and also instill good money habits in your kids. Projects like these can help kids see that many materials can be given new life with the right creative project.