freshman fifteen
What NOT to bring to CU
For the class of 2015, we humbly present the Freshman Fifteen, our collective guide to becoming a true Columbian. Next up in our 15-part series is our anti-packing guide. Highlighted on our list of things you should not bring? Stereo systems. Don’t do it.
Graphic by Rebecca Schwarz
Definitely have to disagree on the microwave. Newsflash: people are gross and don’t clean up after themselves. Hall microwaves are notoriously gross.
bring flashlights to go tunneling.
SHE CAN’T SIT WITH US!
Printer: Especially if you need color pages/live in a place without a printer (Nussbaum, Woodbridge, Watt, etc)
Flashlight: Necessary
Microwave: Great for Carmen, lot of other dorms. Cleanliness etc
“Watt, Woodbridge, Nussbaum”…this is the FRESHMAN Fifteen.
TOTALLY bring your own printer. The CUIT ones are notoriously unreliable, and when you’ve been up until 4:00 a.m. writing that paper anyway, the last thing you want to do is traipse around to every building trying to find a functioning printer…(alternatively, though, print blank paper so you never have to buy any).
Same goes for the speakers. Just because they do “OH MY GOD THEY’RE SO LOUD YOU GUYS” doesn’t mean their daily use has to be at that level…
And to the flashlight comment above – ditto.
you DEFINITELY do NOT need to bring a microwave. NOBODY does that.
I’d also argue you don’t even need to bring a refrigerator considering that they’re really heavy and most people get one for the floor (do it!). Most people get a fridge, but they really showldnt…
No flashlight either. who are you people?
Who are these “most people” you refer to? I’ve NEVER heard of freshmen sharing a floor fridge. Bring your own. Even just for milk for breakfast – you’ll appreciate it. (Besides, I filled my mini fridge all by myself – how the hell do you have space to share it?)
If you’re in JJ you definitely don’t need to bring a microwave. And printers are a SERIOUS waste of money. I brought one my freshman year and never used it once. CUIT’s are much faster and easier to double-side.
OH thank you! I was seriously thinking about bringing my yearbook…besides bringing a microwave only promotes bad eating habits (I just finished my first year and used it twice).
I didn’t bring a printer and I just asked everyone else who did. Do YOU want to be asked that same questions by annoying fucks like me?
Not necessarily. Get one of those multiple CD holders. You save a ton of space by not bringing the cases. You may not be able to watch every movie, true, but I like having the option of variety/I don’t have netflix or cable.
speakers are a wonderful thing to bring. most iHomes or whatever shit people bring can barely play at a party; if you have something that spits out at least 150 watts, you and your friends will definitely appreciate it. neighbors, maybe not so much, but you only have to (ab)use them during the weekend nights anyway. as another commenter pointed out, you can obviously keep them at a lower volume most of the time.
but yeah, you don’t at all need a printer. it’s not worth the space, hassle, or money (ink too). you don’t need a microwave either; if the floor microwave is gross, man up and wipe it down with a paper towel. problem solved. btw i’m pretty sure microwaves in corridor style buildings (JJ) aren’t actually allowed by Housing anyway, but I could be wrong.
…because Netflix doesn’t have everything. for example, if you want to watch Mean Girls, Inception, Harry Potter, the last two LOTR movies, or anything remotely recent, bring your DVDs. like the previous poster said, just find a CD case with all of them in it for those times when you really need to unwind.
if you have a Mac, use Handbrake to get all those awesome movies onto your laptop now before you leave for school, and then you can watch them whenever you want without having to bring the discs!
Uh… speakers are a MUST if you plan on having sex, or think people living by you might. Or, among other things, if your suite mate decides to watch the entire series of Sex in the City on her laptop…
Privacy/sanity is worth the shipping/insurance. I recommend wire mounting heavy artillery to save space.
However, I do recommend leaving AMPLIFIERS at home though. Buy a battery powered VOX miniature and use headphones, or run a 3/8 in cable into your stereo.