Image by Betty Smart
By Quill Nishi-Leonard ’27
Copy Chief
Going to college for the first time is a new and exciting experience, but amid moving out of home and into residence halls, many first years quickly realize they forgot to pack essentials. This issue proves to be an especially frustrating one for Mount Holyoke College students, because the College is not located within walking distance of any major retail outlets. To minimize the number of shopping trips needed for the class of 2028, Mount Holyoke News has compiled a list of our top forgotten college essentials.
Batteries
Batteries are one of the most important things any college student could pack, as they’re needed to power many common household devices. Alas, they are also among the most forgotten. The most popular battery types are AA and AAA, and they’re both better to have on hand than not.
Push pins
At Mount Holyoke College, all students living on campus have cork boards on their residence hall doors. Students typically use push pins to post pictures, drawings and flyers on their boards to express themselves and their interests. Many first years forget to bring pins, which make up a vital part of the dorm decoration experience.
Cold medicine
Practically a Mount Holyoke College tradition of its own, the seasonal flu claims many students’ time and energy every fall. To compound this issue, first years often forget to bring cold medicine when they move in, and only realize they forgot after they’ve fallen ill. To avoid a deeply uncomfortable trip to CVS, it’s best to acquire cold medicine before you acquire a cold.
Ice tray
The College does not have ice machines in its residence halls, so students need to bring their own ice tray or do the unthinkable: go iceless. Luckily, most local department stores carry ice trays, so they aren’t hard to find and purchase. For maximum fanciness, ice trays that make cute shapes — such as hearts, stars and flowers — can be found online.
Bag clips
Potato chips are a staple in practically every student’s diet, but many forget to bring bag clips. Bag clips can be used to preserve the longevity of your precious chips and other assorted bagged snacks. They’re especially useful when living on your own; it often takes one student longer to eat a full bag of chips than it would take a family or larger household. In a pinch, a hair tie can also be used to secure a bag of chips.
To get a broader understanding of what people forgot to bring as first years, MHN also interviewed several students during Nightfest on Sept. 7. Here’s what they had to say.
“Trash bags”
Maria McAlexander ’26
“A hairbrush”
Anna Akter ’25
“A stepping stool”
Liadan McElfresh ’28 and Jordan Balestrier ’28
“A fan”
Margot Hilyard ’26
“Dishes”
Sierra Bond ’28
“Hangers and a razor”
Sachi Robinson ’28
“Bug spray”
Keira Carvin ’26
“Sneakers”
Cal Shearer ’27 and Taylor Adam ’27