Getting used to dorm life takes a while. After all, we don't really know what exactly we need in our first years of independence. Of course, there are the obvious necessities like bed sheets, stationery, laptops, etc. but some things just don't occur to you until you're inconvenienced.

We've talked about dorm accessories you didn't know you needed before, but there are a few more items that have been essential to my college success.

Whether you're lucky and you have a room to yourself or if you're sharing a room, these 7 dorm essentials will definitely make your life easier and better!

Book Stands

Breaking out our textbooks is a pain. I mean, trying to focus on the words is difficult enough as-is, but craning our necks to physically look at the text just brought the difficulty level up!

A textbook stand like this one from Amazon is great because you won't have to force yourself into an unnatural posture to study, and the page holders will keep the pages intact! 

A tip for buying a book stand is to make sure to have an adjustable stand so you can modify it to your height. Now you can say goodbye to back problems and hello to your chem textbook!

Desk Lamp

For those of you who have roommates that have an early bedtime, this LED desk light is your savior! 

If your roommate is sensitive to light when sleeping and you have to cram for a psych exam tomorrow, you won't have to bother them by brightening up the whole room! You can fully adjust this light depending on your sensitivity to light in the dark.

Plants

If you go to a college in the city where there's hardly any greenery in sight, having your own plant in your room will be good for your eyes. (Green is a helpful eye-reliever when you're stressed!) 

A plant is also great for adding some color to your dorm and can even freshen the air in your space. As a bonus, if you get this aloe plant from Ikea, you'll have fresh aloe to moisturize your skin.

Microwave-Safe Mugs

What's better than those mug recipes we always see online? Having a microwave safe mug like this cute one from Anthropologie means you can create quick and easy meals in your microwave in two seconds. (And if you have a coffee-maker, the benefits speak for themselves.) 

It's worth noting that most mugs are microwave-safe, but not all of them are, so it's important to check!

You'll be happy you have a go-to mug when you don't want to use the community kitchens downstairs: You can make mac n cheese or brownies in the comfort of your room. So easy!

Place Mats

Occasionally we have those days when we bring our dinner to our desks, but things get a bit messy when we're eating. 

It's always nice to have a placemat on your desk when you're eating so there won't be any sticky stains! Once you're done using it, just wash it, dry it, and it'll be ready for next time!

Table Shelf

The next one is incredibly useful for you top bunk-ers. 

Browsing the web on our beds is a given because it's more comfortable than the lousy school-issued chair, but that means we have to climb back down, put our laptops on our desk and climb back up to sleep -- who wants to do that at 3 am? 

Having a table shelf attached to the side of the bed is so much more convenient! Once you're done using your electronics just put them on the floating table and go to sleep or put your mug and popcorn there for late night movies!

Mattress Topper

Sleep is great. Sleeping on a lumpy mattress...not so much. 

To wake up on the right side of the bed, you need a comfortable mattress. If your school didn't provide you with a comfy mattress, you NEED a mattress topper --preferably a memory foam one like this topper from Amazon. 

These can be expensive but investing in one for the next four or more (grad school, anyone?) years will save your spine! Plus, with a good night's sleep maybe you won't be groggy for those 8am classes. (Who am I kidding; that won't happen.)

What do you think?

Did you already own some of these items? What are your dorm essentials? What would you recommend? Let us know in the comments!