Tag Archive for: College Students

Mean Green MicroChill® Machine

With the fall semester right around the corner, you’re going to need something that will help you get through late night study sessions, lunch breaks, and everyday dorm life. What could possibly help with all of the above? It sounds like you need an appliance that is a triple threat, aka the ultimate dorm necessity. You need the MicroChill®, and lucky for you, your friends at Door To Dorm can hook you up. We offer the best college dorm refrigerators for students in the New York City area. Check out the schools we services here.

Let’s take a quick recap of what makes this appliance a triple threat:

  1. Microwave – Check
  2. Refrigerator – Check
  3. Freezer – Check

So why give this appliance the honorable nickname “Mean Green MicroChill® Machine”? It is among the leading college dorm refrigerators that many students love having.

Also, the MicroChill® is the Industry leader in Eco-Friendly compact college dorm refrigerators and combination appliances. Not only is it energy efficient and space-saving, but it also requires a single plug for three appliances that every college student needs. This space-saving design is perfect for a single dorm room, plus it can be available for a single semester or all year-long rentals (save money and get the best value with a year-long rental)!

This three-in-one unit makes eating easy and economical, with a freezer compartment coupled with a refrigerator. This allows for more food storage/preservation options. Plus, the microwave ensures that this food will actually get eaten!

Avoid the stress and strain of worrying about purchasing a refrigerator, and having to move it in and out of your dorm room. Contact the college dorm refrigerator experts at Door To Dorm.

If you aren’t convinced yet, let us remind you that our refrigerator rentals are delivered directly to your residence hall at a time and date that coincides with your move-in schedule! We literally make it easy as 1, 2, and 3!

Save money by renting for the whole year! Click here to reserve your very own MicroChill® for this upcoming semester.

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Safety Tips for College Students

The college experience should include safe spaces where students can live, learn and find a sense of community. Though this is usually the case, it’s exceedingly important to remain vigilant and keep your safety in mind at all times. With the new semester starting, we at Door To Dorm want to provide a few tips on how to avoid putting yourself in vulnerable positions:

Look up from your phone

via GIPHY

It’s easy to put your earbuds in, stare down at your phone, and zone out, but with so much going on around you (traffic, bikers, skateboarders, etc.) it’s important to remember to look up and be present.

Never walk alone at night

walk alone, do not walk alone, night walk, night jog, library, campus, walk on campus

During the day, college campuses are usually teeming with students and faculty, but at night, it empties out quite a bit. If you find yourself studying late on campus, be sure you have a walking buddy when it’s time to walk back to your car or dorm. Many universities offer security escort services for this precise situation, so check with your campus to see if they offer this service.

Utilize campus safety apps

safety app, college safety, college safety app

Most colleges and universities can be found on different campus safety apps like CampusSafe. These apps feature a button that immediately notifies your campus police department when pushed. This saves the time of dialing 911 and notifies the police of your location.

Party safely

college party, party safety, college safety, party tips. party

There’s a high chance you’ll attend some college parties from time to time, but it’s important that you party responsibly.

First off, don’t attend any party alone. This is because you want someone to know where you are and NOTICE if you suddenly disappear throughout the evening. Also, it’s nice to have a buffer when you meet a bunch of strangers so you don’t feel awkward. The best party partner is someone you know well and trust to have your back.

That said, whether you go with one other person or a small friend group to a party, make sure one of you is the DD (Designated Driver). You can switch off for different parties to make it fair, but there should always be someone sober and alert that can gauge when you need to get out of an unsolicited or bad situation.

Watch your beverage. Whatever beverage you drink (alcoholic for 21+ or non-alcoholic ), make sure you never put your cup down. If you have to put your cup down to go to the bathroom, or somewhere else, make sure you grab a new drink after (that you pour yourself). It’s unfortunate, but people have been known to add things to other people’s drinks that they never wanted or requested. The safest beverage you can drink at a party is one that comes from a can or bottle that is sealed—don’t drink concoctions out of a tub, punch bowl or any variation of a pre-mixed shared source. It’s not safe, and it’s also gross.

Don’t be afraid to leave. When something feels not so right, trust your gut. It’s no big deal to leave if you’re not comfortable. There will be other parties. If your friends are good friends, they’ll understand, support, trust, and leave with you. If they don’t, they’re not good friends, but you should still grab a cab, uber, or call someone you trust to pick you up. Many universities offer free pickup services off-campus for college students. Check with your campus to see if you have this resource and save the number for the pickup service in your phone before you go out.

Carry a self-defense device

self-defense, self defense, protection for college, college safety, college protection

Whether it’s pepper spray, a whistle, or a taser—it’s always wise to carry something you can use quickly and efficiently to defend yourself. All three of these devices are compact and easy to transport.

Lock your doors

Lock Doors, college safety, dorm safety,

This may seem obvious, but it’s very easy to become relaxed in your living space (especially if you live on campus). Just remember that no matter how safe you feel in your home, it’s extremely important that you always keep your doors locked—better safe than sorry!

No one wants to live a life full of worry and distrust—relax and enjoy your college experience. Just remember to always have your safety in mind so you don’t end up like this guy:

Real Bros Johnny GIF from Realbros GIFs
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Minimalism for Your Dorm Room

2017 was the year of minimalism. This trend has spilled into 2018, and there’s no doubt it is here to stay. Minimalizing your space is a refreshing way to decrease unwanted clutter and recognize what possessions are important to you. Even if you don’t consider yourself a “minimalist,” making room for important things in your life is a healthy habit to implement.

Clean Out Your Closet

Cleaning out your closet is a great first step to minimalize your possessions. A good rule to follow is to go through your clothes and shoes and throw out anything that you haven’t worn in the past 6-12 months. Throwing out doesn’t necessarily mean the garbage. There are plenty of shelters and donation organizations that will happily take the clothing off your hands.

If the twelve-month rule doesn’t apply to you, try to pick out staple items in your closet that you can’t go without. You probably don’t need five of the same sweater in different colors.

Decorations

Your taste in decor will probably change over the four years of college. Figure out if all of your decorations are coordinating. If not, throw out the misfits. Getting rid of decorations is a great way to decrease clutter and unwanted busyness that your dorm room has accumulated. You’ll be thankful for this tip come graduation when you are getting ready to move into a new place.

Organization

In such a small space, organization is key. Storage cubes are good for closet and shoe organization. If the bed in your room is higher up, shoe racks are also helpful. Have a basket on top of your MicroChill  for your non-refrigerated snacks. Invest in desk drawer organizers. This way, you will know exactly where your skinny pink highlighter is.  If you’re lacking ideas, Pinterest is a great tool to take advantage of when it comes to organization.

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5 NEW Meals You Can Make In Your Dorm

You just started college and after a few weeks in, you’re sick of the noodles and cafeteria food. Sure, you mentally prepared for this, but the monotony is killing you. Don’t worry about it. Door To Dorm has you covered. Time to remix your meals with some easy, affordable, dorm-friendly recipes.

Here are 5 rockin’ meals you can make in your dorm room:

Chicken Salad Wraps & Sandwiches

Chicken Salad-5 Meals- Door To Dorm

This delicious recipe is great for lunch or dinner and you can switch it up by adding sweet or savory toppings and using different kinds of tortilla, bread, or even crackers (if you want to make a shareable snack) to serve it on. All you need is:

  1. 2 Cans of Canned Chicken
  2. Light Mayo (to taste)
  3. ½ Cup of Raisins or Dried Cranberries  (or both if you want to throw caution to the wind)
  4. 2-3 Sticks of Chopped Celery
  5. 1-2 Handfuls of Walnuts
  6. Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Pour the canned chicken into a food storage container,  mash the chicken with a fork to break apart the chicken chunks. Pour the rest of the ingredients into the food storage container and mix everything together. Then, serve over your favorite carb. Store the leftover chicken salad mix  in your microchill fridge so you have meals ready for days. With so many ways to enjoy chicken salad, it is the swiss army knife of dorm food.

We recommend you try this chicken salad mix with croissants or spinach wrap tortillas. For a savory version, replace the raisins/ dried cranberries with chopped tomato and add garlic powder or garlic salt. Add a side of salad or a bag of baked chips.

Overnight Oats

5 Meals, Overnight Oats, Door To Dorm

Trying to avoid the freshman 15? An easy and convenient way to add healthy nutrition into your life is by eating breakfast. You can save time in the mornings by meal prepping with overnight oats, so that you’re not late to class. This post on Food Network’s Healthy Eats gives you tips on how to create appropriate portions and play up your oats with different flavors.

2-Minute French Toast in a Cup

French Toast, cup, door to dorm

This yummy recipe shared by Pretty Prudent is a lazy student hack for a warm and sweet confection! Perfect for those chilli days in your dorm or when your sweet tooth is kicking in, you’ll enjoy this morning cup of french deliciousness. Bon Appetit!

Microwave Nachos

Having a movie night with your roomie? Kick the night up a notch with some cheesy microwave nachos. Tablespoon.com has the scoop on this 5-minute recipe. Indulge in some messy, gooey goodness, because these microwave nachos are all that and a bag of chips!

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

If you want to impress your friends with your dorm cheffing skills, a crock pot beef stroganoff  is the way to go. The Spruce gives you the breakdown on how to prepare this dinner extraordinaire. Knock their socks off  by pairing dinner with these entertaining ideas for dorms. Oh you fancy, huh?

Have awesome dorm room recipes of your own? Reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter and let us know!

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Winter [Dorm Storage] is Coming – How to Avoid the Stress

Making decisions can be hard, especially with the stress of finals and moving out of the dorms for the Winter. Luckily, we can help make those decisions during the moving process a little easier – no need to call mom on this one!

First off, what do you need stored? Go through your belongings and decide what needs to go into storage and what needs to just go. This means throwing out anything you won’t be needing for the new year.

Once you know what needs to go into storage, you can decide which storage option is best for you. At Door To Dorm we offer several boxed storage options. Cue James Corden and Justin Bieber – big box, little box, cardboard box. You can choose from four large boxes, baby humongous, or our most popular storage option, humongous box. We can hook you up with sturdy and durable boxes.

We are also able to store much more than boxes, like Door To Dorm refrigerators and microwaves. But wait, there’s more!  We store  miscellaneous items like luggage, furniture, different sized plastic containers, beds and futons, rugs, and TV’s too!.

Our goal is to make your life as easy as possible, which is why we offer FREE packaging materials including labels, tape, pick up, local storage and return delivery to your desired location.

See? Packing and storing with Door To Dorm is seriously so easy!

Packing 101

Take it from the pro’s, one of the most common mistakes when getting ready to leave for break is rushing during the packing process. We get it, you’ve been there for a few months and are ready to go home, but you don’t want anything to get lost or broken right?

A few things to remember when packing is to be mindful of what you’re putting inside of each box. You want to make sure everything is secure..

*Quick Tip*

You can use other items of yours as “fillers” such as clothing, towels, blankets, or even just some crushed newspaper or bubble wrap to ensure your things don’t shift around. This is perfect for your fragile belongings, and boxes with these items should be labeled as so!

Click here to order extra packing materials to keep your belongings safe and secure. 

Secondly, when are you returning? If you’ll be back by spring, you might just need our 30-day storage option. Otherwise, we offer long-term storage for those who might be studying abroad for the semester, or aren’t returning until a later date.

We all know that East Coast weather can be brutal during winter. But rest easy knowing your belongings are safe and sound in our climate controlled warehouse, waiting patiently for your return.

Click here to order your storage for the winter break. 

Moving In? Moving Out?

If you’re done with school, (Whoo hoo! You’re done!) you’ll probably want to get your stuff back home or even to your new home. We can get your belongings to your desired location without you having to lift a finger – you’ve worked hard enough!

Our shipping services are also great for new students starting in the spring. We’ll get your stuff right up to your dorm room, so you can focus on other things when you arrive.

Click here to check out our shipping services for both moving in and out of your dorm room or apartment. The bottom line is Door To Dorm has all of the bases covered when it comes to packing, storing and shipping. Learn more about our services and don’t be afraid to get in touch with any questions you may have for us!

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5 Apps You Need When Studying Abroad

Traveling has never been easier than it is now. Gone are the days of MapQuest and struggling in with the travel apps. When they said “There’s an app for everything,” they weren’t kidding. This generation of travelers want the hottest deals and the lowest prices when roaming the globe – especially if they’re taking a semester abroad. If you’re planning on taking an international trip in the near future, we’ll break down five must-have travel apps to download before your new adventure begins!

1. Hopper


If you’re a millennial, you’ll most likely be traveling by air. We all know that plane tickets aren’t always cheap, and that’s why Hopper is a great help in airfare price-watching. With the slogan “Predict. Watch. Buy. Fly.”, Hopper makes booking flights that easy. If you know when you will be going, you can just punch in the dates, and let the app do the rest.

2. Maps.Me

Because you might not always be able to connect to WiFi when you’re abroad, this app is a serious life saver. With Maps. Me you’re able to look at maps of the country you’re in without an internet connection. Whether you’re walking, cycling, or driving, Maps.Me will help get you there fast, and for free.

3. Hostelworld

When it comes to studying abroad, you’re probably not going to stay in the same place for long. On the days you’re not working on academics, you might explore other nearby places. Whether that’s hopping on a boat or train to another country, or just visiting a different city, you’ll need a place to sleep. Hostelworld let’s you find and book different hostels worldwide. Rated with nearly 5 stars, it’s secure, convenient, and perfect at fulfilling that feeling of wanderlust. It’s no wonder Huffington Post’s round up featured Hostelworld as one of the best travel apps.

4. Foursquare

Online reviews are a beautiful thing. Picking a place to eat, drink and be merry is so easy with apps like Foursquare. You can read reviews on restaurants, coffee shops, and night-life in the area so you don’t have to go in blind. Foursquare makes it easy for you and your friends to discover hidden gems globally, which is perfect for those who are traveling abroad to unfamiliar destinations.

5. WhatsApp

Data charges are ridiculous when you’re studying abroad in a different country. WhatsApp is a necessity when it comes to keeping in touch with friends and family back home in the United States. Here’s the breakdown: both you and your loved one will need to download the app. It can work as a text messenger, or you can make a call, as long as you both have an internet connection. That’s basically it, it’s simple, secure and reliable. Say goodbye to outrageous data charges and homesickness. Thanks WhatsApp!

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Freshman Year Checklist

 

  1. Books – Sometimes the campus bookstore can be a bit pricey, try to shop around first and remember that you also have to option to rent. Try Chegg, Amazon or Slug Books!
  2. Scholarships – To try and avoid student loans, look for scholarships first. Scholarships can also help cut costs on your books and living arrangements. Here’s a list of a few websites that might help you find the perfect scholarship to apply for:
  1. Dorm Necessities – A mini fridge will help save your dorm life & don’t forget to stock it up with plenty of water, and healthy foods.
  2. Sleep Gear – Comfy pillows/sheets/favorite stuffed animal – Whatever will help catch those extra z’s at night, you’ll need as many as you can get!
  3. Map of Campus – and any other paperwork you’ll need to help you find your classes, offices, student resources, etc.
  4. School Supplies – Don’t overdo it. Look at your syllabi and only get the required supplies.
  5. Memories – Because you’ll be moving into a dorm room, you can’t take all your belongings from home. Maybe pick 5 of your favorite memories to keep from cluttering. Perhaps pictures of friends/family back home to start off?
  6. Clothes – Only pack what you’ll need for the fall semester. You can swap clothes for spring when you go back home!
  7. Bathroom – Because you’ll probably have to share a bathroom, a bathroom caddy helps keep all your bathroom items organized and together.
  8. Dry erase board/calendar – This will help you stay organized and keep track of your classes and times.
  9. Headphones – So you won’t disturb your roomie when you’re listening to your heavy rock, rap, or whatever music you like. They’re also great for watching your favorite movie late at night.
  10. Alarm Clock – DON’T rely on your cell phone to be your alarm. There are too many possibilities of it not working and you risking the chance to miss that 8am class isn’t worth it!
  11. Organization – Living in a dorm room is all about organization. Invest in several plastic bins, vacuum seal bags or any other items you can use to help organize all your belongings.
  12. Establish a Monthly Budget – Take a look at all your expenses for the month and try to organize a monthly budget to help you distribute your funds accurately. This is very helpful if you have a part time job or are only living off of your loans, financial aid or scholarship income.
  13. Monetary – University college card/ID, bank card/credit card. Although credit cards can be dangerous, they are great for emergencies. You just have to be responsible and only use for emergencies. (Unfortunately, burritos at 2AM doesn’t count as an emergency)!
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