What they actually need for the dorm

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A mattress topper, if you buy one thing on this list. Dorm mattresses are vinyl-wrapped bricks. A two-inch topper is the single biggest comfort upgrade for the money, and the thing they will thank you for in October.

Twin XL sheets, not regular twin. This is the mistake that turns move-in day into a Target run. Dorm beds are extra-long; standard twin sheets don't fit. Look for deep pockets, so the fitted sheet covers not just the mattress but the topper underneath it (see above). Buy two sets so laundry day isn't a crisis.

A shower caddy that drains. Shared bathroom, wet walk back. A mesh tote that drains and hangs gets used every single day.

Under-bed storage. The biggest unused space in the room. Soft zippered bags slide under a lofted bed and swallow a season's worth of clothes.

A surge protector with more outlets than you think you need. There is one wall outlet, and a laptop, a phone, a lamp, a fan and a fridge all want power at once. Two things worth checking: a long cord, because the outlet is never near the desk, and that it's a true surge protector rather than a plain power strip - that is what stands between a storm and their laptop.

A pack of removable wall strips. The school charges for holes, these come off clean in May, and they're what makes a cinderblock room feel like theirs.

A jar of assorted bungee cords. The move-in day workhorse nobody packs on purpose. Two of them - green ones, about 30" in length - hooked between the elastic corner bands will keep the mattress topper in place for as long as they're in the dorm. Before that, they hold a car full of move-in bags in place on the drive down. Assorted lengths in a storage jar; the leftovers spend the year securing whatever the room invents.