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Let the people who are actually living in the tiny dorm rooms and sleeping in the Twin XL beds tell you what you’ll actually need for the school year.

I am a contributing writer and former BuzzFeed Shopping fellow and I love writing about the latest fashion trends, the cutest home decor, and what beauty products are actually worth adding to your makeup bag.

This comes with one filter to start off, but you'll need to grab more filters eventually because it's recommended to replace the filter every two months. Plus, Brita's filters have been certified by the Water Quality Association, so you know you're getting the best of the best when it comes to water filters. 

Promising review: "Originally bought this for my college dorm when my roommate suggested we get one. I loved it for that year and continued to use it now that I live in an apartment. I hope to use this pitcher for as long as I can! Its size is ideal for one or two people (not so much a family). Refilling is easy and you need to buy a new filter every couple of months but that is expected. Great buy." —Morgan

Get it from Amazon for $28.33+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "Additional comfort for the not-so-comfortable mattresses in college dorm rooms. For a good night's sleep, add this to your list for college essentials." —Jeremy

Get the Twin XL size from Amazon for $19.98 (available in six other sizes and five styles).

Promising review: "Moving back to college for the fall semester, I knew I wanted to upgrade from my jersey knit sheets I had the prior year. These sheets were everything I could have asked for and more! I legitimately look forward to slipping into bed each night with these bad boys around my mattress and memory foam pad in between. Very smooth, soft, and good integrity! Cooling feeling as I first pull them over me and keep me warm through the night. Fit beautifully without any problem on Twin XL mattress. Have washed them four times now and no signs of pilling or fiber tearing. Would definitely buy again for another bed!" —Amazon Customer

Get a set of Twin XL sheets from Amazon for $36.97 (available in sizes twin–California king, plus sheet sets with deep pockets for taller mattresses and 45 colors and patterns).

Promising review: "These are seriously the most comfortable pillows I’ve ever slept with, feels like I am sleeping on a cloud! I purchased them for home and loved them so much I purchased them again for my dorm at school because I just couldn’t live without them! I’ve had them for years and they have stayed the same since the day I got them. I couldn’t recommend something more!" —Nathan Forbes

Get a set of two standard-sized pillows from Amazon for $59.99 (available in two other sizes and a memory foam style).

Promising review: "For the price, this little shelf is very sturdy and useful. Since I've been in college, I have used this shelf every single night for my phone, drinks, crochet projects, and more. If you want enough room for a laptop, I'd recommend getting a larger size." —Madison D

Get it from Amazon for $33.99+ (available in two colors and two styles).

Promising review: "My college-age daughter loves this backpack. It fits her laptop comfortably and is lightweight. She also likes the water bottle holder on the side of the backpack." —Melissa R.

Get the black color from Amazon for $69.99 (with other colors available on their Amazon store page) or Herschel for $70 (available in 20 colors). 

Promising review: "I purchased this tote to opt for a more classy look. I love it!!! Would definitely recommend. Great for college students’ textbooks and laptop. It comes with over six compartments and has plenty of storage!" —Talia Arielle

Get it from Amazon for $30.99+ (available in six styles). 

Promising review: "College essential. This is a core college send-off shopping list item. It is well constructed and organized. And it is big. I mean, if you filled every pocket, you'd have 95% of what you need on a trip to the bathroom in a dorm, and it is so big that filling it can make it heavy. My daughter said it is great, but for nighttime wash up, she needs only a few things, and so might want a smaller version. But this one does what it is supposed to and it does it well." —progo

Get it from Amazon for $8.54+ (available in 11 colors).

Promising review: "I bought these foam slides as shower shoes for college, and I absolutely love them! They’re incredibly comfortable and lightweight, making them perfect for wearing in the shower or around the dorm. The foam material provides a cushioned feel, and the design is simple but stylish. After much wear, they’ve held up amazingly well — no signs of wear or tear, even after daily use. They dry quickly and are easy to clean, which makes them super convenient. The fit is great, and the slides stay secure on my feet without any slipping. These foam slides have been a fantastic investment for college life, and I highly recommend them if you’re looking for durable, comfortable, and affordable shower shoes!" —Ellie Stuart

Get it from Amazon for $20.35+ (available in women's sizes 4—16 and 11 colors).

Promising reviews: "Absolutely love these fuzzy wuzzy slippers! Not only are they very cute and a little bit glam, they are really comfortable with memory foam soles. I bought my first pair in cream and loved them so much that I bought another pair for myself and three pairs for my mom, sister, and niece, who all loved them, too! They're great for inside and out, and I appreciate them keeping my feet warm when I take my dogs out in our yard. Great price, good looking, and washing machine-friendly on a cold, delicates wash. Can't recommend them enough!" —Amazon Customer

"I love them. I wear mine around my dorm, and they are so comfy. Might get another color for when I am home. I got the gray, they are so pretty." —Briana Durbin

Get it from Amazon for $16.98+ (available in sizes 5–13 and 21 colors).

Promising review: "I brought this laundry bag for my friend's daughter. She is a college student. It is so convenient to be able to carry this like a backpack and leave your hands free. Since there's no way to stabilize folded clothes, just throw everything from the dryer directly in there. The wide and comfortable shoulder straps distribute the weight on her back it almost felt lighter because of the weight distribution. Highly recommend it!" —yanqing

Get from Amazon for $16.99 (available in 12 colors).

Promising review: "As a college student with limited options and a room that offers little ventilation, I find that this guy has been a great addition to my home. It is easy to set up, and it comes with a remote that already has batteries! I honestly can’t really tell the difference between the modes, but it is not too loud. In fact, it’s a great source of white noise and it doesn’t bother me and I am a light sleeper. The remote is easy to use and it’s very convenient than handling the fan." —Lucy

Promising reviews: "I wanted to organize my closet, and after reading reviews about this hanger, I decided to get some. They really save space compared to my old thick plastic hangers. It is a little harder to get the clothes on the hanger, but they will not slip off the hanger. I was so pleased with them that I ordered my daughter some for her closet. Many of the other ones I saw said the felt material rubbed off...but not with this product; that was the first thing I looked for when I opened the package. Very nice product, and I would recommend them." —Linda A. Byers

"These are fantastic for small closets and dorms. Highly recommend." —Simple Shopper

Get it from Amazon for $31.99+ (available in 13 colors and also available in a 30-pack).

Promising review: "Overall, I'd say these are a good purchase. Magic space saving hangers with nine holes that can hang nine pieces of clothes at once. They save a lot of space in my closet by organizing clothes at slightly different heights, which also makes it easier to find clothes. What's more is that the different colors help me classify my clothing. This closet organizer comes in packs of six, which is great for the cost. Good stuff for my dorm room essentials." —Wenwei

Get a six-pack from Amazon for $11.99 (also available in different pack sizes). 

Promising review: "How can you go wrong with Command hooks? Living in a rental or a dorm shouldn’t get in the way of being organized. The large hooks are the right size for winter jackets, bathrobes, and hoodies. Even if you can put a nail in your wall, Command hooks allow flexibility, as this package has extra sticky strips — if you don’t like where you put the hook, just peel it off and replace it." —1277529

And if you want a case and a little cleaning kit, you can snag those on Amazon, too, for $6.99.

Promising review: "My fellow college students, if you want a short explanation of what to expect, here's what I'd say. The noise [cancellation] is amazing, it's so advanced to the point that you may get a dizzy sensation the first time you put them in. But you'll get used to it. The music audio is a 10/10. Everything is crisp and fluent. If it doesn't fit you can put in a smaller/bigger earpiece size in (they send you a S/M/L/XL). If you're really sweaty or have a lot of jell in your ear, the AirPods may tend to slip out a little bit, but that's an easy fix. I personally LOVE bass. These AirPods provide a good kick. The mix of advanced noise cancellation + sound quality makes the bass sound super nice. So if you're looking for quality bass sound I'd recommend these AirPods... They also have manual features that you can use to change/skip/replay songs. Overall, I'd give these AirPod's a 9.5/10 with the only negative being the fact that it may fall out sometimes due to sweat." —Nicholas M

Promising review: "Dorm life must-have! Small but sturdy light with options and flexibility! Impressed with the quality of the clip...attached securely to bed rail. Small size doesn't take up space but still puts out good amount of light. Bendable neck will be handy along with bonus of being able to choose four lighting options: white or soft as well as a low and high setting in both, accessible by a switch located on the cord a short distance from the clip." —Lori B.

Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "This surge protector does absolute wonders for any tech set up, especially with limited outlets. The option of USB or normal plugs is really nice, and it allows so many things to be plugged in, which is really convenient. I don't worry about the durability of the cord like I do with many other electronics, due to its braided feature, which allows flexibility and protection. This did wonders in my college dorm, as I had access to only one outlet. This is a great power strip." —Sarah

Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in six lengths and in three colors). 

If you want convenient coffee but don't want to create more plastic waste with disposable K-cups, try this reusable K-cup for brewing regular ground coffee.

Promising review: "This Keurig was the perfect size for my son's dorm room. Great for making coffee, tea, or just hot water for some ramen noodles. I've been a Keurig owner since they first launched and never had any complaints. Take care of the unit, and it will last a long time." —Mark P

Get it from Amazon for $78+ (available in five colors).

Promising review: "Keeps water cold for hours and doesn't leak at all. I love the easy open flip cap and the built in straw/chug combo. It's easy to clean and there are no ridges or crevices like in some of my other bottles that get cruddy over time. I added the silicone sleeve for a pop of color and added protection and would recommend that. After I ordered this, I noticed versions of it sitting on every other desk in my college classrooms. Obviously a popular choice!" —BB

Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in four sizes and in 21 colors). 

Computer glasses that filter blue light can help reduce the amount of blue light you're exposed to, plus you don't need a prescription to wear them and they work even if you're already wearing contacts. Read more about the effects of blue light and eye strain at the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Promising review: "Must-have for college students. Bought them for finals week and they truly saved my eyes. I get headaches from staring at my screen for long periods of time (as finals week requires) and these helped so so much. I recommend to everyone. Will definitely be using these even more in coming months as I start law school!" —HLM

Get them from Amazon for $19.99 (available in six colors).

Promising review: "They are my absolute favorite to take notes with. I used them about two years ago and then decided to purchase them again for college. I like color-coding notes and such, and find these to be the easiest to write with. They don’t feel cheap when you hold them, compared to some other pens I have used in the past. They also seem to last forever! My previous set lasted a good year before I lost them." —Sarah Overman

Get a pack of 18 colored pens from Amazon for $8.99 (also available in a pack of 24 or 36). 

Promising review: "I got this product to use in my dorm room in college, and I love it! It is not too big for the space, and it fits everything perfectly. It was super easy to assemble, and it is easy to move around when I need to rearrange things. Definitely recommend, especially for college use!" —Olivia Conk

Get it from Amazon for $34.77+ (available in four colors). 

Promising review: "I use this product for my skincare and makeup or to do my hair. It’s the perfect size to sit on my desk and live there without taking up all the space. I’m a college student so I find this really easy to use and then close it up when I’m done. I love how easy it is and I love that you can either charge it or use batteries. I choose to charge it because I find it easier for me." —Jessy

Get it from Amazon for $25.99+ (available in six colors). 

Promising review: "I put it together today for my desk to keep everything clean and it was sooo easy to put together. It took less than 10 minutes and is nice and sturdy. It is a nice metal and I would definitely say you should get this if you want to organize your work or college space." —Anonymous

Get it from Amazon for $19.79+ (available in 11 colors).

Promising review: "I have this in my dorm for storing makeup/medicine/etc. It works great! It is small yet sturdy, and the slots can hold plenty of stuff. It seems to be a high quality product even though it was not too expensive." —Tori Pollak

Promising review: "I bought this air purifier for my dorm room. I could very quickly tell a difference in air quality based on the improvement of my quality of sleep. For the price, this is also a very good deal and I would recommend to other college students. It covered the perfect amount of space for a dorm room." —Miles w

Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in two colors). 

And if you're gonna get this, you're probably gonna want to get a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse duo since your laptop will be acting as a monitor when it's lifted on this. 

Promising review: "I am a college student, I got this product for my desk and love it! Not only does it give me more room on my desk, it also helps my neck; rather than stare down for hours, I can look straight, which really does make a huge difference. This product also holds my laptop very securely. It is a very well-made holder." —Jillian

Get it from Amazon for $17.49+ (available in nine colors and packs of two). 

Promising review: "Bought this for our daughter who's in college. Poor kid didn't have a dresser and being in another state made it hard to get one as she'd have to get rid of it in eight months. The hanging shelves fit perfectly in her closet. Sturdy, with extra pockets on the side. She loves it. When it comes time to leave the dorm, it folds into a small square she can fit into her suitcase." —Elaine M. Edelson

Get it from Amazon for $14.97+ (available in two sizes and eight colors). 

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.