The Ultimate College Packing List for Girls and Guys

Packing for college is exciting, but at the same time, it can also be challenging. Especially if you are moving far from home, you don't want to miss out on anything important. The best way to include everything you need is to keep a college packing list. Here, we help you make the college packing list you need. Keep reading.

Part 1. What Should You Do Before Preparing Your Packing List for College?

So, you got admission to the college of your choice and are excited about the next chapter of your life. It is when you must have a great start, and for that, you must ensure that you have everything you will need on campus.

A huge mistake college freshmen often make is that they start listing items in their packing list immediately without consulting any seniors or the rules. That way, they bring so many unnecessary items and miss out on many necessary items. If you don't want the same happening to you, here is what you need to know:

1. Check School Rules

Start with the School Rules. Go through the college website, and you will find a guide that includes rules for students moving to college for their education. Some colleges provide rules about things that are not allowed on campus. Meanwhile, some will provide a complete packing guide, and considering these will help you a lot in designing your packing list.

2. Talk to The Current Students in College

It's important to communicate with students studying at the college while you make your packing list. They have experienced the same thing that you are going through.  They will know which thing is more important and useful in practical scenarios. They will help you cover the utility items in your daily routine. These suggestions will help finalize your packing list.

Part 2. College Packing List for Girls

Now that you have a basic idea of how you will design your packing list, you have created different categories along with supplies and essentials from each. As a girl, you may need multiple life, study, and entertainment supplies. Going through the list below, you can also create the packing list that is essential for you at college.

1. Study Supplies

Start with your study supplies, as these are the most important. When it comes to studying supplies, it is not always something physical that you will be packing. Getting the right software and tools right before college can be very helpful. UPDF is one of those tools that can make studying very efficient for girls since it helps in reading and studying PDF files.

It also comes with amazing notetaking features, and you can edit PDFs. So, whether you need to write notes or create your daily study plan, UPDF will have you covered. Additionally, you may need the following study supplies:

• Backpack
• Notebooks
• Sticky notes
• Planner
• Pens & Pencils
• Folders
• Highlighter
• Rulers
• Whiteout
• Calculator
• Computer With Tools like UPDF, Microsoft Office, etc.

2. Life Supplies

When packing the life supplies for college, you may include some from the list below:

• Jeans
• Leggings
• Shirts
• Shorts
• Formal tops
• Jacket
• Disinfecting wipes
• Paper towels
• Stain remover

3. Entertainment Supplies

Make sure to pack your entertainment supplies for college while complying with the rules:

• Headphones/earphones
• iPad/Tablet
• Colors
• Speakers

Part 3. College Packing List for Guys

Boys moving to college have a similar packing experience to that of girls. However, there are a few differences in their packing list. It is because some boys don't need that much study and life supplies. Remember that it does not mean that you must pack the least items.

1. Study Supplies

Start with packing your study supplies. The most important things you will need are:

• Calculator
• Sticky notes
• Desk light
• Books
• Bingers
• Notebooks

2. Life Supplies

Life supplies vary from person to person. In most cases, the ones on the list below will be good enough for one to carry:

• Bath towels
• Deodorant
• Jeans
• Shirts
• Shorts
• Formal dress
• Hand sanitizer
• Brush
• Haircare products
• Workout clothes

3. Entertainment Supplies

Never miss out on the entertainment supplies for college to have a great experience. However, be careful that everything you pack follows the School Rules:

• Headphones
• Gaming console
• Strong lights
• Cards
• Speakers
• Backup batteries
• Bicycle accessories

Part 4. 2 Best College Packing List PDF Templates for Girls and Guys

Are you only planning to keep things on your packing list and not write them anywhere? Soon you will start forgetting previous things as you add new ones. While writing seems the right solution for making your packing list, it is not the most efficient. It is because you don't want to think of everything individually and list them.

The best way is to use a PDF packing list template. There are some PDF packing list templates for guys and girls that you can use and edit using UPDF. So, keep everything you need and add the ones that are not there. You can also digitally check mark this list with UPDF as you keep packing things, so there is no confusion.

1. College Packing List for Girls PDF Template

Download The College Packing List Template

The packing list template for girls comes with 9 different sections for items you may need. It covers the need of every type of student. The list contains all the necessary and optional items. It covers students in dorms with personal bathrooms and with shared bathrooms as well. Similarly, items you can share with your roommates are also on the list. The 9 sections this template covers are:

• Dorm room supplies.
• Clothing essentials
• Desk and study supplies
• Toiletries and Bathroom supplies
• Laundry
• Documents
• Electronics
• Shared items
• Kitchen
• Miscellaneous

2. College Packing List for Boys PDF Template

The packing list template for boys differs, with boys leading more towards sports and extra-curricular activities. This template covers 6 main packing categories with everything a guy will require at college. You can try editing this template according to everything you need to pack with UPDF. Also, make sure to check if the items you are packing are allowed in School Rules are not. The main sections you find in this template are:

• School supplies
• Clothing essentials
• Dorm Accessories
• Toiletry
• Electronics and Gadgets
• Medicine.

Part 5. How to Edit or Customize College Packing List PDF Template?

Getting the PDF template for the packing list makes things very easy. However, everything on the list may not be relevant to you. Say that you want to edit a few things, but the PDF file is not letting you edit the document. UPDF is the right tool of choice here, with several PDF editing features. Here is how you can customize your college packing template list with UPDF.

• Click on the “Open File” button inside UPDF to browse the PDF file on your computer. Locate it and open it.

• You must go to edit mode from the left menu to edit something on the list.

• Select any text and type to replace it with new text. UPDF will automatically adjust the font size and style. Please customize the packing list according to the school rules, suggestions from the current students, and the college packing lists for girls or boys we introduced above.

• As you are packing things, you must keep marking anything you include. So, go to comment mode, select any text, and click on highlight on top. Select the color of your choice, and you will be done.

You can include or remove items from the template with these easy steps. Similarly, you may mark different items with different colors as important or use the highlight feature to cancel out everything you have packed. UPDF is sure to make your packing easier.

Part 6. What Should You Use to Pack Your College Things?

When packing your stuff, you cannot use the same option for everything you bring along. The most common packing options include:

• Bags
• Cardboard boxes
• Packing bins
• Ziploc bags

Remember to pack things according to how you will unpack and use them. For example, pack different items in small bags if you are packing clothes. Then pack your whole clothing collection in one big cardboard box or a storage bin. Similarly, pack toiletries in Ziploc bags and organize everything inside a packing bin.

In this way, you will keep everything well organized, easy to unpack, use, and put back when you are done using them. Packing your stuff separately will also keep things safe from one another. For example, you would never want the hair conditioner to leak into your expensive bag or clothes.

Wrapping Up

Smart implementation of your college packing list is very important since there is so much you need to pack. Such a list sorts out everything you will pack and use at your college. So, when creating your list, ensure that you include everything from the lists we shared above, along with any additional items you want to add.

Additionally, you must be careful about the School rules. Never pack something that is prohibited by the rules. If you use a PDF packing list template with such an item, make sure to edit it out with UPDF. Hence, your packing list will become perfect according to your requirements.