Contributed by Info Guru Terri Wallace

College is a time to broaden your horizons, to try out possible vocations and fields of study … and to experience the joy of communal bathrooms.

To make the close-knit situation a little more bearable, consider stocking up on these essentials to make showering at college a little less awkward.

10. Soaps

Make the dorm bathroom a little less utilitarian with some spa-worthy soaps. Just because you have to use a shower that still has the grime from its previous occupant swirling in the drain does not not mean you can’t smell like a field of fresh flowers and freshly cut grass.

9. Oversized Towels

It is bound to happen, so you might as well plan for it. At some point, you will either leave your clean clothing in your dorm room, or some prankster will snatch your robe while you are in the shower, and you will have to clutch your towel around yourself and make the mad-dash down two halls and past at least one common area to get back to the safety of your dorm room. Make sure that the towels you take to college will cover all those bits and pieces you would rather not have show up on the internet. Over-sized towels will do more that dry off your back, they will cover your backside when you take off to the refuge of your room.

8. Robe

Ditch the worn, coffee stained robe that got you through finals and upgrade to a classier robe. Choose a robe that is warm and full of personality, that is worthy of your future, that has never seen your lesser moments, and has never been unceremoniously thrown-up on after drowning your sorrows when what’s-his-name broke up with you.

7. Slippers

If you have not had the joy of experiencing the gritty, grimy floor of a communal bathroom, just take our word when we say that slippers are a necessity. Don’t been fooled into buying an overly twee pair with glittery or charms or, heaven forbid, feather tufts. Instead, go for practical. Get a slipper that can be thrown in the washing machine, with lots and lots of detergent, when you back to visit your parents for the weekend.

6. Chocolate

While you may not initially associate chocolate with college showers, consider this: Chocolate says Watch my clothes and make sure no one takes them. Or thanks for letting me have the good shower stall. Or I appreciate that you didn’t leave any evidence of your partying ways on the bathroom floor. Some things can only be expressed with chocolate, so make sure to have plenty on hand.

5. Laundry Bag

Face it, college breeds laundry. Don’t fight it; instead, invest in a quality laundry bag (or better yet, several laundry bags!) to tote your laundry from your dorm room to your parent’s washing machine each weekend.

4. Toiletry Caddy

Getting yourself classroom-ready each day takes a lot of supplies: shampoo, conditioner, face wash, body wash, razors, and more lotions and potions than you can feasibly carry in two hands. Rather than risk losing the perfect shade of lipstick or leaving your hair straightener behind, grab a caddy to keep your necessities under control and easy to carry. (Tip: Think outside the caddy, so to speak. Lots of times, you will find the perfect item in an unusual place. Art stores, for example, have bins, totes and containers with all kinds of uses!)

3. Bath Tub Crayons

Inspiration always seems to strike when pen and paper are not to be found. Don’t rely on your faulty memory to capture that perfect bit of prose, that magical mathematical formula, or the address to the toga party. Bath tub crayons are perfect for leaving a bit of brilliance behind, in the form a haiku — a poetic gift for those who shower after you. They are also good to remind that selfish slob to clean up after herself.

2. Waterproof Mascara

The journey from shower to your dorm room inevitably takes you past the common room and several cute co-eds! Don’t risk scaring them away with the remains of last night’s make-up. Raccoon eyes will do nothing for your social life. Stock up on waterproof mascara to ensure that your wild nights don’t leave you looking like wild life!

1. Rain Coat

At some point in your college career, you will be called upon to help someone in need. Perhaps you will need to hold back your roommate’s hair while she spews regret into the toilet, or to assist a friend who seems to be majoring in Advanced Partying. When this happens, you will be thankful for a practical raincoat. It is much easier to keep your cool, and keep yourself clean, with this easy-to-clean (and shower-safe) clothing option! Depending on your circle of friends, you might need more than one.