Should I bring a tv to college? Bringing a TV to college might not be a good idea. You’d be distracted often. There are several other reasons you’d be better without one.
If you’re set on having a television, we’ve talked about whether they’re allowed, where you can place one, and more about college-dorm appliances. Sound good?
Can you have a TV in Your Dorm?
The dorm may already have a TV. If it doesn’t, you’d likely be able to bring one; colleges don’t have restrictions on televisions. But it would be of the worst things you could bring. For starters, it would cost a lot. Dorms are also small– a TV would take up unnecessary space.
A television would be redundant if you have a phone and computer. You can just watch everything online. In fact, streaming services probably have a better selection than a TV does.
You could also just share a TV with one of the other students. There’s a good chance at least one of them would have a TV.
Where to put TV in Dorm Room?
Before moving in, you’d be given instructions on how to take care of your dorm-room. One of the rules would be no nails or screws on the walls. Considering you can’t hang the TV up, where do you place it?
On top of a Dresser
Depending on the size of the TV, you could clear up space on a cabinet/dresser for it. You can place anti-tipping straps to prevent it from falling down. As you can imagine, the chances of a mid-small sized TV falling over would be lower than a larger one.
To ensure accidents don’t happen, place the cabinet right against the wall.
No Drill Mount
Although the above set-up would be functional, it wouldn’t look good. A standing table mount would be easy on the eyes.
Moveable Stand
Do you want the illusion of your television hanging on the wall? Purchase a moveable stand. Just know that the stand wouldn’t be ideal if your room is small; you might knock things over.
When choosing the location for your TV, make sure to avoid glare. The worst spots would be right in front of a light source.
What Appliances are allowed in Dorm Rooms?
Quite a lot of appliances produce heat. This would be a problem, as campus housing might see them as fire hazards.
The university you’re attending would have rules about devices with heating elements, instead of banning them completely. For example, you may be able to bring kettles, as long as they use up a certain number of watts.
Examples of appliances that can be fire hazards are;
- toaster ovens
- electric kettles
- food processors
- indoor grills
- crockpots
If your school does not allow appliances with heating elements in dorms, you’d still be able to place them in the community areas. Just know that there’s a chance they could get stolen.
You also won’t be able to bring mini-fridges. Not because they would heat up, but because they suck up a lot of electricity. Without the proper ventilation, they can be dangerous too.
What Appliances Would a Dorm Need?
Now that you know which appliances aren’t allowed, you’d know all the ones you’d be able to bring. Let’s help you narrow things down. We’ve discussed the best and worst choices below.
Best
A Fan
Depending on the state of your school, there might not be ACs in the dorms. When it gets hot, you can use a pedestal fan.
You could create a cross-breeze, which would especially keep you chilled. Pedestal fans regularly go on sale so wait for a deal before you buy one.
Coffee Maker
Coffee makers have heating elements so only some of them would be approved for dorm us. This would come in handy for those all-nighters you’ll need to pull every now and then.
Crockpot
Just like with coffee makers, there may be a list of approved crockpots. Getting a hold of one of them would let you cook all kinds of meals.
Being a college student, you’d likely be eating ramen noodles and other foods that aren’t the most nutritious. A crockpot would make this not an issue.
Dehumidifier
Any student that owns a dehumidifier would testify that purchasing one has been the best money they’ve spent. The more moisture in the air, the warmer you’d feel. Odors would linger as well.
A dehumidifier will also improve your health. Excess moisture causes fungal spores to grow and a dehumidifier prevents this.
The Worst
A TV
TVs are not the smartest things to bring to college. They’re huge, expensive, and redundant; you can watch anything you want on your laptop instead. If you absolutely need to watch TV, someone in your floor may have one. Befriend them.
Printer
You don’t have a lot of space in your dorm. Why would you bring a printer? The library would have one. Having one of your own, you’d likely print unnecessarily and make a mess too.
How Do You Save on Appliances?
Electronics can be pricey. How do you snag them while on a budget?
Delivery
If the items are being delivered from far, you can expect a hefty delivery fees. Larger appliances are especially expensive to get delivered – more care would be needed by the delivery team.
Wait for the Holidays
Everyone goes shopping during the holidays. Businesses want to make use of this, so they sell goods at discounted rates.
Speaking of discounts, you might get a percentage off your purchase, as you’re a student. Do you have a student ID?
Older Models
As new models of products are released, older models usually go on sale to make room for them. These older models are still brand new and have most of the functions of the latest models.
Damaged Units
Appliances with slight damages like a dent can be bought for a lot cheaper than undamaged products. The store would likely have a section for scratched and dented pieces. These products would usually be in brand new shape except for a slight damage or two during shipping. However, since they do still have minor damage, make sure you still get the warranty.
Buy Online
Buying online is a must if you’re on a budget. Online sellers don’t have overhead costs; items are sold at cheaper rates.
Look Around
How many stores are offering what you need? Going through each of them would help you choose the most affordable option. The seller you’re interested in may be selling appliances for higher rates than others.
Shopping online would easily let you find someone that doesn’t sell expensive appliances.
Second-Hand
You’re a college student, not a homeowner. You don’t need appliances that are shiny and new. Look around. You’d find several sellers offering what you need second-hand. The older the device, the cheaper it would be.
Probably the best place to get used products is yard sales. Something that costed hundreds could be going for much, much less.
Installments
Although you won’t be saving if you buy on installments, you’d be able to buy something you can’t afford.
The product would be paid back at a fixed rate over time. There likely would be interest added. The longer the repayment period, the smaller each payment would be.
What Do Colleges Not Provide?
Campus housing would have provided you with a list of everything that would be included in your room. As quite a lot won’t be provided, what should you bring?
Appliances
The room won’t have any appliances. With everything discussed in mind, a crockpot and coffee maker that comply with your school’s rules would be great.
Cloth Hangers
Be sure to bring a lot of cloth hangers. The college won’t be providing them, so you’d need as much for the clothes you have, as well as any future outfits you’re going to buy.
Linen
The university would require you to bring bedsheets, pillows and pillowcases. In line with this, towels won’t be provided either.
Office Supplies
The university won’t be providing office supplies. Stock up on pens, pencils, erasers and highlighters. Papers and books would also be needed.
Alarm
You’re probably thinking of relying on your phone’s alarm. However, your mobile might stop working, or it might run out of battery. An alarm-clock would prevent you from missing class.
Desk Lamp
A small desk lamp would be nice. Your room can get dark. The lamp would make studying easier too.
Let’s wrap everything up. Schools let students bring TVs. You’d be able to bring any sized one you want. But does this mean that you should? Televisions are expensive. you don’t have the most cash as a student. It won’t be practical carrying a large TV with you on your move-in day either. Plus, you’d be able to watch everything you’d need on your phone or television.
If you must bring the device, you won’t be able to hang it on the wall. Get a stand mount and place it on a dresser.
