As a new student to UW Madison (or any other college), it can be difficult to decide what you really need to bring and what you can live without. As a transfer student I wasn’t exactly new to college but I was new to dorm living. I didn’t want to over pack but I quickly realized that it’s actually better to bring a little bit too much versus forgetting something vital.
Although it might sound cliche, the microwave I brought was very indispensable to me during my stay in the dorms. As an avid tea drinker and someone who had a job that didn’t correlate nicely with the dining hall hours, my microwave provided me with many (hot) late night meals. Although the dorms provide places where you can cook, I often found myself too tired to carry all of my needed cooking supplies to the basement or gatehouse when all I want to do is eat and then go to sleep. Bringing a microwave may seem like a no-brainer but I almost came to UW Madison without one. I thought that I could get by with my electric kettle, but looking back I realize just how much more convenient my life was because I brought a microwave. My life was made ten time easier because of that microwave, the fact that it’s bulky and is a pain to pack shouldn’t phase you, you’ll have more options if you bring it.
