If you are planning to go to college in the next few weeks or months and you know that you will be living on campus, there are several things you should start doing in advance to ensure that you are as prepared as possible. Moving away to college is a big deal. If it is the first time you will be living in a place without your parents, you may be worried about a number of different things. The good news is that if you are prepared ahead of time, you may transition into this new lifestyle a bit better.

Create a List of Must-Have Items

There are certain items you will absolutely need to have while in college, but it is easy to lose track of all the stuff you need to purchase and bring with you. Create a list of the must-have items you plan to use in college, including a backpack, pens, laundry baskets, bedding and a variety of dorm accessories.

There are certain items you may want to purchase so that you can easily have good meals from your dorm room, such as a mini fridge and a microwave oven. These are all things to consider adding to the list of items you need to get before heading out to your new dorm.

Put Some of Your Belongings in Storage

The dorm room you will be living in may be much smaller than your bedroom at home, so you will likely have to leave a lot of your belongings at home. If you are worried about leaving them behind and you do not want anyone touching your belongings, consider putting them in storage. Before renting out a storage unit, consider how much space you are going to need. There are units available in different sizes.

You may not need the largest unit if you are not planning to store away a car and various pieces of furniture. If you are on a budget and you would prefer to rent out one of the smaller storage units, you may be able to make it work by placing storage containers on top of one another and utilizing the space that is available to you. Placing furniture on a certain angle could leave you with a bit more space for some of your other belongings, too. 

To learn more about your storage options, visit resources like http://www.kandlstorage.com/.

Get in Touch With Your New Roommate

In many colleges, students are assigned a roommate. If you have been assigned a roommate, it could help to get in touch with that person before you move into the dorm. After all, the two of you will be sharing a living space for quite some time, so it does not hurt to try to get to know the person a bit better. You may have a lot in common with your new roommate, which could lead to a friendship in the future.

You may be feeling both excited and even a bit nervous about going away to college. Before you officially make the move, make sure you are prepared by creating a list of all the essential items you are going to need. You may want to consider placing some of your belongings in a storage unit if you cannot take them with you to college. And, you might even want to contact the new roommate to learn more about him or her before the two of you end up sharing a space together.