Hostel Essentials: Must-Buy Items for College Life

Hello future doctors. I can see that you’re about to start your new life. Whether you’re moving into a college hostel or as a Paying Guest, there are some things that you must have.

I know you have started making a checklist. To make your work easier, here is a check list of the essentials and the extras. Make sure to buy them all for the perfect hostel life.

Bed Essentials

You might mostly be provided with a bed. So you just need to buy the following.

Comfortable Mattress: Hostel mattresses, if provided, can be very thin and uncomfortable. Invest in a good mattress, you will thank yourself in the long term.
Bedding Set: Bring a minimum of two sets of bedsheets, and pillowcases. So, you always have a clean set while the other is in the laundry. One blanket for winter nights is also necessary.
Pillows: You will not get a pillow from the hostel. Buy a good one for yourself.
Eye Mask: Get a cheap one, but do get one. There will be days when your roommate has to study and you want to sleep.

Storage and Laundry

Cupboard: Get a cupboard from a local market (if your room has enough space for one.)
Storage Boxes: Plastic storage boxes are great. You can keep one under your bed and use it for everyday essentials.
Hangers: To keep clothes in your cupboard and also to hang them up for drying.
Laundry Bag: Or just follow the age old tradition of dumping all your clothes on that one chair in the room.
A Nylon rope: You might have to wash your own clothes and dry them in the room or in the corridor
Clothes Pins

Study Supplies

Table and Chair: Get a set from a local market, if it is not provided by your hostel.
Desk Lamp: Sometimes, you might want to study when your roommate is asleep.
Stationery: The basics, you can buy them later too. Also buy a writing pad for internal exams.
Buy notebooks to take notes.

Personal Care Items

Toiletries: Soap, shampoo, facewash, toothpaste, toothbrush. A small storage kit to keep these items organized and to efficiently carry them to and fro.
Bucket and Mug: Some days there might be a water shortage, and you might be asked to fill up water for later use.
Hot Water Rod: To heat up the bathing water during cold days.
Towels: Bring at least two bath towels and a couple of hand towels.
First Aid Kit: Basic band-aids, antiseptic cream, painkillers, and any personal medications.
Shaving Kit: Necessary for vivas. Seniors might ask you to have a clean-shaven face in the hostel too.

Kitchen Essentials

Electric Kettle: Perfect for tea, coffee, instant noodles, or even boiling water for a ready-to-eat meal.
Reusable Water Bottle
Thermos: Get a big 5L Thermos to bring and store cold water. You might not have accessible water filters.
Cutlery and Crockery: A few basic items like a plate, bowl, and mug. For when you order in or cook.
Maggi and Instant Soup: These are like the identification marks of a hostel
Some Pickles and Chutneys: For when you are fed up with the mess food. You can just get a few chapatis and eat them with the pickles you’ve got from home.

Cleaning Supplies

Cleaning Cloths/ Rag: For cleaning the tables and other surfaces.
Dish Soap and Sponges: To wash the utensils.
Detergent: Laundry detergent for washing your clothes.
Broom and Dustpan: To keep your room clean and tidy.
Dustbin: Keep a personal dustbin for the room.

Clothing Essentials

Comfortable Everyday Wear: Pyjamas for the hostel, Get a lot of comfortable TShirts for the hostel, get shorts too.
Innerwear: Get lots of comfortable inner wear.
Formal Wear/Indian Wear: A few sets of formal clothes for exams and events. For guys it means shirts and pants and for girls it means kurtis and leggings.
Tshirts: For daily college wear, get a lot of airy cotton T-Shirts, or ask if there is a formal dress code in our college.
Apron: Buy 2 good durable yet airy white coats.
Sportswear: Comfortable sportswear for gym or sports.
Seasonal Wear: Get a jacket or a sweater for winters.
Slippers: For the hostel and the room.
Socks: Get ample pairs, you are going to lose a lot of these along the way.
Hair ties: Again get a lot of these. The rate of losing hair ties is very very high.
Hair pins, clips: To keep your hair neat and professional during exams.
Safety Pins: You can never know when you will need these.

Climate essentials

Umbrella: For the rains. It’s better to have one with you. If not, you can just get one later.
Sunscreen: An essential during the summers. Especially when you have to go around the campus to reach different departments for different lectures
Moisturizers: Both a body moisturizer and a good face moisturizer. Skin care is important throughout the year.

Electrical Items

3 pin: There might be only one switch board, a 3 pin will help you charge all your devices simultaneously.
Extension Cord: Very important.
Portable Fan or Heater: I even got a cooler in the later half of my hostel life.
Hot water Bag: You might need them for body pain or period cramps (For girls)
Mobile phone and charger
Laptop or Tablet (if needed)

Security Essentials

Locks: To lock your room and your cupboard.
Personal Safe: If you do not have a locker in your cupboard, get a small safe for valuable items like jewelry, important documents, or money.

Comfort and Decor

Photos and Posters: Getting a photo frame of your family is a must.
Fairy Lights or Lamps: Personalize your space.

Entertainment and Leisure

A set of playing cards and UNO: The life of any hostel room.
Bluetooth speaker: For movie nights and hostel room parties.
Yoga Mat: Can meditate/exercise on the hostel terrace if you have a yoga mat.

Insect repellants and perfumes

Naphthalene balls: In case there are cockroaches or lizards
Hit spray: For the same reason
Room fresheners: Must in summers
Deodorant or perfume

The most important one

Get lots of coffee sachets or better, get a big bottle of coffee. Trust me when I say, you will be REALLY needing it in your hostel life.

Conclusion

Get to packing, don’t forget to pack everything but don’t stress it either. Once you get to the hostel life, you will automatically adjust to living on a minimum number of things. You will also become street smart and will be able to procure whatever you want on your own.

Mostly, welcome to real life. It sucks, you’re going to love it.