Whether you are a student attending a lecture, a consultant listening to the client’s requirements, or an employee attending a seminar you might have thought to take notes at some point. But the real question is whether those notes are going to be useful or if note-taking is a waste of your time.
Just filling papers or using notetaking apps like Evernote and filling the notebooks with what you are hearing is not the best way to take notes. So, note-taking can be a waste of time unless you are using proper note-taking strategies.
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What notes are a waste of your time?
If you are taking notes from some slides or writing down everything that the presenter says like a robot, then probably note-taking is a waste of time. Taking notes while your mind is distracted is a waste of your time. These are the bad note-taking habits that most students have.
It is a grey area, but if you keep writing down notes on paper or an app like Evernote or OneNote, you would have a hard time processing the information being delivered to you.
Better Note Taking without Wasting Time
Notes should always come from actively listening and engaging with the content and should be written in your own words to make sense later on. There are several note-taking strategies you could use for effective note-taking.
Here are some of the best tips that you can use to make your notes worthy of your time.
Find out more about different note-taking strategies available and pick one suitable for you.
Use note-taking tools to take notes – note-taking apps such as Evernote can be much more effective than pen and paper.
Actively listen to the presenter or teacher – don’t focus too much on writing things down.
Write important things once they come to your mind – don’t focus too much on organizing your notes at first.
Don’t write paragraphs – use bullet points if possible and keep it short.
After taking down the notes try to categorize them and highlight what is important if needed.
Put the categories in order to make more sense of your notes – this would come in handy when you are preparing for exams later on.
Conclusion – Is Note Taking a Waste of Time?
Note-taking is an essential skill that everyone must have. However, if not done properly taking notes can be an utter waste of time. Note-taking strategies and actively participating in class while taking notes can help make better notes which will come in handy in a later date.
College is where most students start their own life struggles since they have to manage their own finances in college. Affording own food, living accommodation costs, car fuel, and other costs that follow.
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How Much Does Living in a Dorm Room Cost?
While college dorm costs can vary depending on the college, the average cost of living in a dorm room is around 8000$ to 15000$. The cost of living would be a little bit on the lower side for public universities while private universities could cost more.
While living in a dorm in college or an apartment is entirely up to the student, it may help to know the cost of living in the dorm to pick between them.
Cost of Living in The Dorm Room
As mentioned above dorm rent could cost around 8000$-15000$ a year for a college student. Even though it may look expensive from your point of view it is perfectly normal. However, this won’t be the only thing that will cost you in college.
Living in college you would have to pay for your groceries, car fuel, decoration costs, and more. Also, you would have to spend money on electronics and furniture for a dorm room, which should be a one-time cost and you could split it with your roommate most of the time.
Tuition
On top of the dorm rent, students have to take care of tuition costs which can differ from university to university. College tuition could cost from 15000-70000$ a year depending on the college and the program you are enrolled in.
Groceries
A college student is expected to spend an average of 160-370$ a month on groceries and food. If you have a good roommate then you might be able to split the cost between the two of you most of the time. Even then it could cost you a few hundred dollars each month.
Car Costs
If you have a car or a vehicle then you would need to include car fuel and maintenance costs in your college student budget as well. Parking passes would also add up to 50-100$ each month in costs.
Course Materials
Tuition fees do not cover some of the course materials expenses such as textbooks, book subscriptions, and school supplies for college that students might need. A college student usually spends around 300-500$ a year on course materials and school supplies.
Furniture & Appliances
When you move into the dorm room students will be given a dorm bed, mattress, and some basic stuff. To make it a proper living space students might have to buy more furniture and necessary electronics and appliances such as a mini fridge, microwave, and electric kettle.
Dorm furniture and appliances can cost around 300-1500$, but it would be a one-time expense. These would only cost you one time and you might be able to split the cost with your roommate for some of the stuff.
Miscellaneous Expenses
Thought that was it? – you don’t get off that easy in college. There will be more expenses you would have to take care of such as college party expenses, clothing, laundry, hygiene and health, insurance expenses, and more.
On average, a college student would have to add around a couple of hundred bucks for miscellaneous expenses on the student budget planner.
College Dorm Rent Cost – FAQ
Are College Dorms Free?
No, college dorms are not free and students are charged dormitory boarding fees added to the tuition fees. However, there are ways you could get free room and board in college.
Are Expenses in Dormitory Splitted Between Roommates?
Some expenses such as paying for dorm appliances or furniture that you both going to use can be split with your roommate. However, it is best to discuss the topic with your roommate before deciding what to do.
The Conclusion – College Dorm Cost
College dorm cost is around 8000-15000$ a year depending on the school you are attending. While public schools tend to cost less private school dorm rent could be expensive sometimes. However, there are benefits of living in a dorm compared to living off-campus in an apartment.
Hopefully, this post might have helped you to find what to expect living in a campus dorm room with a roommate.
SAT test is one of the most taken college entrance exams throughout many countries in the whole world. Many students take the test a couple of times to achieve the SAT test score to get into their dream school.
Here are some of the test expert tips to get your SAT test score from 1000 to 1600.
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How to Get Your SAT Score From 1000 to 1300
SAT Math Correct Score – 35/58
SAT Reading Correct Score – 35/58
SAT Writing Correct Score – 31/44
The average SAT score is 1050 which says that most students can get a score of around 1000-1100 on their SAT test. If you already got a 1000 SAT score it means that you have substantially enough knowledge to take the SAT test and improve on topics such as Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Grammer, and such.
To get your SAT score to 1300 from 1000, students need to get around 600-700 in SAT Math section and Reading & Writing section.
Rather than investing time in covering all the topics have an in-depth understanding of specific topics such as Algebra I, and Algebra II.
Improve reading skills, grammar, and vocabulary.
Invest time in learning SAT strategies on each section of the test.
Average reasoning and problem-solving skills.
How to Get Your SAT Score From 1300 to 1500
SAT Math Correct Score – 47/58
SAT Reading Correct Score – 45/58
SAT Writing Correct Score – 35/44
If you are already scoring around 1300, a 1400-1500 SAT score is definitely within your reach. Having a 1500 SAT score can improve your chance of getting into your dream school as well as most Ivy League schools.
To get an SAT score of 1500, test takers must score around 700-750 in SAT Math section and Reading & Writing section.
All Math and Grammer sections must be covered, and should have no gaps in the topics.
Superb vocabulary knowledge, obtaining this kind of vocabulary knowledge can be hard even if you use online flashcards. Investing in a good SAT prep course is a must.
Superb reasoning, reading, and problem-solving skills are a must.
Superior knowledge of SAT test strategies.
Taking SAT practice tests multiple times to find out the weaknesses you have.
How to Get the Perfect SAT Score 1600 on your SAT Test
SAT Math Correct Score – 58/58
SAT Reading Correct Score – 58/58
SAT Writing Correct Score – 44/44
Scoring 1600 on SAT is not an easy task – not even for the most skilled students. Less than 1% of students get 1600 perfect SAT scores each year. Having a perfect score on the SAT can guarantee a chance at getting into Ivy League colleges and schools of your choice.
To get a 1600 SAT score, test takers must score 800 on each SAT Math section and Reading & Writing section.
In-depth knowledge of all math and grammar content at a level you don’t even have to sit and remember the rules and formulas.
Excellent vocabulary which cannot be only grabbed through online flashcards.
Top 1% reading and writing skills as well as problem-solving skills.
Better time management to get spare time to check your answers.
Superior knowledge of SAT test strategies.
Multiple go-overs on practice SAT tests are available.
Tips to Improve Your SAT Score from 1000 to 1600
In-Depth Content Knowledge
Knowing core concepts and topics such as algebra, geometry, and grammar rules in depth might improve your SAT score more than knowing every topic on SAT. Having a good understanding of Algebra I and Algebra II helped me nearly increase my SAT score by 100 on the second attempt.
Test Prep
If you have not invested in SAT Test Prep before, try one of the best SAT Prep services available which could improve your SAT score significantly. Khan Academy offers free SAT Test prep including practice tests and if you can invest a couple of hundred dollars Princeton Review SAT Prep course is recommended to improve your SAT score.
Test Strategies & Practice
Invest more time in learning SAT Test strategies and test your knowledge using Khan Academy Practice tests which are available for free. There are many other SAT practice tests available online for free and there are some paid proctored practice tests made available for you by test prep companies such as The Princeton Review.
The Conclusion – Get the SAT Score to 1600 from 1000
The possibility is there for getting your SAT score from 1000 to anywhere between 1600, the perfect SAT score if you could follow the correct strategy and prepare well. The above tips are given by previous SAT test takers who have gotten 1500+ SAT scores and got the chance of attending Ivy League schools.
Hopefully, following the tips given by experts might help you to improve your SAT score and get accepted into your dream school.
After taking the SAT most test takers to worry about how long it takes their scores to reach their target schools. Usually, test takers receive their SAT test results within two weeks of time which they include in the college application.
On the edge of applying to colleges, every student who took the SAT has this question – How long does it take to send SAT scores to colleges?
If you are wondering the same thing – Let’s find out without further ado.
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How Long Does It Take to Send SAT Scores to Colleges?
Colleges do not receive your SAT scores instantaneously even if the College Board has sent you the score report. It will take approximately around 1-2 weeks for colleges to receive your SAT test results after scores are available online.
Colleges receive the SAT test scores through the software with your other college admission materials. Colleges do select how often reports are downloaded which could be once per week or once a day.
When it comes to sending SAT scores to colleges you have two options which are either sending the free report or paid rushed report. Let’s find out which one will get to the college faster and if it is worth paying for the rushed report.
How long does it take to send Free SAT Report?
When you sign up for the SAT test, you have the option to send the SAT report to four schools for free. The free reports will take approximately 1-10 days or three weeks to reach the colleges that you have chosen while signing up.
Also, you can change the schools you send the free reports to until nine days after taking the test. If you had signed up for a fee waiver then you can send free SAT reports to any amount of schools you want.
How long does it take to send a Rushed SAT Report?
The test takes also have the option to opt-in for rushed SAT reports which you have to pay 31$ additional to the normal SAT report fee. Colleges receive the rushed SAT reports for approximately 1-2 weeks which is not different from free SAT reports.
Is the Rushed Report Worth It?
Rushed SAT reports do not make any significant difference when looking at the time they take to reach the schools. They are pretty expensive hence in our opinion opting for rushed reports is not worth it.
The Conclusion – How Long Does It Take To Send Free SAT Report?
Approximately it takes around one to three weeks for your SAT scores to reach the schools you have applied to if you used free SAT reports. Rushed reports do reach the colleges a couple of days sooner but they can be pretty expensive.
If you are starting college soon, there will be many things you have to buy for college as well as for the dorm or apartment you are staying in. If you plan to cook meals, make snacks or store food in your dorm then you must include dorm kitchen essentials in your college packing list.
Here are the recommended items you must bring to college to have a complete kitchen in your dorm room.
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College Kitchen Essentials
There is a lot of stuff you should have in your dorm kitchen. But that depends on what you plan to do – if you want to cook your meals or just store food in your dorm room. It is recommended to prepare your own meals since it is way healthier. Pre-cooking microwave meals beforehand are one of the best ways that are used by many college students.
At a minimum, college students would need a mini fridge, microwave, cookware, utensils, water filter, and electric kettle for their dorm kitchen. These kitchen items are essentials that you must have in your dorm room and they will be used every day.
Dorm Kitchen Appliances List
This kitchen essentials list items will include the most expensive items you have to purchase for your dorm. It is recommended to communicate with your dorm roommate before you buy them so that you don’t buy the same things for the dorm which could waste money as well as the storage space in your dorm.
Here is the complete list of dorm kitchen appliances you must have in your dorm room.
Mini Fridge
Microwave
Electric Kettle
Keurig
Blender
Mini Rice Cooker
Pasta Cooker
Water Filter
Dorm Kitchen Cooking Essentials List
Saving money in college is one of the tough tasks that student faces. Cooking your own meals in the dorm could save money significantly as well as it can help you have healthier meals every day.
Here are the Cooking Essentials that you must have in your dorm kitchen.
Pots & Pans
Knives
Cutting Board
Cooking Utensils
Salt & Pepper Sets
Pot Holders & Mitts
Colander
Mixing Bowls
Dorm Kitchen Serving Essentials List
College students often confide in paper plates and paper utensils since most hate washing dishes. However, as time goes it could cost you more money unless your parents are covering you. For the better, it is recommended to have serving items that could cut the cost of paper plates.
Here is the kitchen essentials list for serving food in the dorm room.
Dinnerware Set
Glasses
Silverware
Steel Straws Set
Salt & Pepper
Yeti
Travel Mug
Dorm Kitchen Cleaning and Storage Essentials List
Keeping your kitchen clean and organized is one of the important things to do while living in the college dorm. It can be sometimes a tough thing to archive but not if you are better equipped for it.
Here are the must-have dorm kitchen storage and cleaning essentials list.
Food Storage Cans
Dish Drainer
Sponge
Dish Rack
Soap Dish
Sanitizer
Trash Can
Trash Bags
Dorm Kitchen – FAQ
Can you Cook in the Dorm Room?
While most dorm room does not have the space to cook, some have larger space available called suites where college students will be able to keep all of their appliances and kitchen essentials.
Are you allowed to Cook in the Dorm Room?
Yes, you can cook in the college if a kitchen is provided for you. However, some colleges might not allow you to cook in college since it could cause fire hazards and create hygiene problems.
Are Kitchen Appliances allowed in the Dorm Room?
Some colleges will prohibit you from having kitchen appliances as well. But there won’t be any issue keeping appliances such as a dorm mini fridge in your dorm room to store snacks and food. It is recommended to check in with the school you are going to before purchasing any of the kitchen essentials.
The Conclusion – Dorm Kitchen Essentials List for College Students
The dorm kitchen is a must-have when it comes to preparing your college meals as well as your late-night snacks in the dorm. The dorm kitchen essentials list has everything a college student living in the dorm must have in their college packing list.
Staying motivated is one of the many things that’ll make you study better. However, it’s tough to stay motivated when you have an upcoming exam close, especially when you’re getting ready for the finals.
Finals week can be stressful and harder to get through. But it doesn’t have to be like that at all. All you have to do is stay motivated and study in the last few weeks.
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Why Should You Stay Motivated Before The Exam Season
Everybody who needs something knows that to have that they may have to sacrifice some things and have the desire to get to that place. Studying for an exam is no different from that.
To do well in an exam, especially in the finals you may have to give up on your social media accounts and any social activities you may have an interest in. But the thing is, it is really hard for us to do that.
So Staying motivated is extremely important in the last few months or weeks before the exam/finals.
Here is why you should stay motivated before the exam.
Motivation can get you through a hard time.
Motivation shows you the right path to success.
Increases desire to study and revisit your notes.
Motivation helps you stay positive.
It Boosts self-confidence.
Motivation helps you evade negativity in yourself.
Exam motivation will help you to stay focused and ace the tests.
14 Tips To Stay Motivated During Exam Season
01. Remember Your Journey So Far
Getting stressed out a few weeks before the exam is regular for anyone. Sooner or later it is going to happen to you too. Staying motivated during the last couple of weeks is vital, just like preparing for the exam season.
Remembering how you worked for the exam and the work you’ve already done can be a huge motivation to get through the next rough couple of weeks.
02. Stay Positive
A few weeks before the exam, thoughts like “you are going to fail the exam, you have not done enough studying” are going to pop into your mind.
If you have studied enough and already gone over your notes at least one time, don’t worry about it. You have already done the hard work in the last few months or years. What’s another couple of weeks?
Keep thinking positively and evade negative thoughts. Later you’ll realize how staying positive helps you to get through the exam season.
03. Study With The Right Group
Source: Giphy
How about making studying a fun thing, just like your social activities? Yes, you could pull that off. When you have some friends around you, it’s easy to have fun. Have some of your friends come over to your place or one of their homes to study together.
But first off, you have to find the right type of friends that you could study together. Choose people that you work well with and people who have more knowledge about your subjects than you. Don’t ignore the less gifted ones, help them out too.
The best thing about studying with friends as a group is that when you’re down, they are there to get you back on the track.
04. Set Small Goals and Prioritize
When the exams are so close, usually students get stressed about their study plan, the work they didn’t do. They spend so much time thinking about how to study the things they missed more than revising the content you already learned.
This kind of negative feeling can harm your exam scores more than anything. If you didn’t revisit your notes, take time to reread them just in case if you forgot something important.
The best way to do this is by setting small goals and prioritizing them without making any drastic changes to your study plan.
05. Take Small Study Breaks
Most students start to feel bored when you’re studying and when they have a lot of work to do. There are so many ways to avoid boredom when you’re studying. But when you have an exam season nearby you, some of these methods won’t be good for you.
Let’s face it; studying straight for hours for a day is hard for anyone. No need to feel bad about it or lie about it. It’s not effective at all when you study like that. Take small study breaks that last about 5-15 minutes when you need it (after studying for a one or two hours though).
That small study breaks in between will help you evade boredom without using technology, and you’ll be motivated to study for the exam without stressing about it.
06. Always Reward Yourself
Source: Giphy
Studying for an upcoming exam is so hard, that’s normal. You might even have to make more time to revisit your notes from before if you forgot their content.
Remember when you were little, your parents would cheer you up when you’re down or reward you when you do something beautiful. You can adapt that to reward yourself when you finish a lot of work.
Rewarding yourself after studying for a few hours will make you appreciate yourself doing the hard work.
The reward doesn’t even have to be a big thing; a small study break or a healthy study snack would make a nice reward. But, don’t get carried away, always be strict if you want to ace the test.
07. Use Motivational Apps and Quotes
When you get a lower score on your exam, it’s easy to blame the technology other than thinking about what you could’ve done to improve your test scores.
You can use your technological devices such as mobile phones, laptops to stay motivated in the exam season. Well, if you can be strict and have the will to avoid distractions.
Use motivator apps that are available to you, such as the Forest app. You can also use motivational quotes on your mobile phone and laptop screen to stop you from getting distracted by them while studying.
08. Watch and Listen to Inspiring People
You are not the first one to face a hard time when studying or working to achieve your dreams. Some successful people faced hard times that you couldn’t even imagine.
Their podcasts and speeches, which you could find on google without any trouble, can make you understand how they faced it. Listening to their small speeches or quotes will motivate you to get through the hard time you’ve been having while studying.
No worries if you have no time to listen to them, you could use your study breaks to do it.
09. Exercise and Meditation
Staying healthy before facing an exam is extremely important because if you get a health problem during the exam season, it might affect your exam scores. One step in staying healthy is exercising and doing something like yoga.
The latest scientific studies have found that meditation reduces stress, improves focus, and even boosts your physical health.
Exercising releases chemical called endorphins which helps you to feel happier, focus, and stay positive. So, Exercising regularly can make you feel more motivated in getting ready for an exam season.
10. Make Holiday Plans.
Taking breaks and having fun is a great way to release the exam stress. But it’s not possible to take a vacation when you have an exam season nearby.
After the exam season, there is always a holiday season, which you may have already made some plans for. When you get a small break from studying, think about what are your plans for the upcoming holiday season.
Use your small study breaks to do this so it wouldn’t affect how you are studying. Making plans for the holidays can motivate you to get through the exam season without any problems.
11. Keep Everything Organized
Studying in small time periods and studying more effectively is hard without having a plan. You might have a great study plan with prioritized tasks. But it won’t go as planned if you have a messed up study space.
Before you start studying, you should check every learning material you need is in place. Keep the recommended learning materials that you need for the exam somewhere you see.
You won’t waste any valuable time you should’ve studied if you keep your study space organized and everything you need for the exam day in a place where you could easily access them.
12. Healthy Meals and Snack
How you eat and drink in the last few weeks before the exam plays a massive role in your exam results. Eating unhealthy foods such as pizza, junk foods, and alcohol can upset your digestive system. If that happens, you won’t do well in the exam season.
To study and face the exam, you’ll need more energy, so you must eat a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But that’s not going to be enough. That’s where the healthy study snacks like dark chocolate come into the play. In between those main meals, munch on good and healthy study snacks to get more energy, reduce the stress, and stay healthy.
Healthy meals and snacks are not going to be enough to stay healthy during the finals. You should also drink a lot of fluids. A glass of water every few hours is fine since it flushes all the toxins out of your body. But just to make it more fun, you can also drink smoothies, coffee.
13. Get Some Sleep Already
It’s easy to fall asleep while studying, even when you have an exam season closeby. Most of the time, this happens because you are not getting enough sleep. You might not have time to go over so many learning materials in a small time period, so you might be cutting down the sleeping time to study them again.
If you do that you’ll be sleepy all the time while you’re studying and you won’t remember anything you studied in the exam season. Getting sleep a few hours won’t interrupt your studies; in fact, it will help you to study more and improve your memorizing.
So get some sleep after you finish studying for a few hours (at least 5 hours a day).
14. Don’t Start Celebrating Now
Studying for an exam for a few years might feel like living in hell. After all the struggle, you are so close to facing the exam. So it’s easy to feel that you’re done studying and need to celebrate now.
This kind of negative thoughts will harm your exam scores. So hold that thought in and wait until the exam season is over to celebrate.
Studying for an exam season in the last few weeks is hard for anyone; staying motivated to get through it is even harder. Most students give up on a lot of activities such as exercising, sleeping in the last few months. That won’t help you to study more or get high scores in the exams.
Staying motivated throughout the last few months before the exam is vital. Always take care of your health, work in small chunks, and take breaks. These steps will help you stay motivated and get higher scores in the finals.
Saving leftovers, keeping beverages fresh and cold, and storing pre-made cooked meals and dorm snacks is something you would do often while living in college. Even though it is not a necessity keeping a mini-fridge would be extremely useful to do.
Picking a good college dorm mini-fridge with a freezer would be a little tricky since the need for one varies from one another. And since there are a lot of compact fridges available on the market.
Here are the best dorm refrigerators suitable for college students to keep their meals and snacks fresh.
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Best 9 Dorm Refrigerators with Freezers [Top Student Picks]
A spacious 2 door compact refrigerator that looks like a miniature version of a regular refrigerator. Comes with a 3.2 Cu.Ft storage with 3 shelves which divides into 0.96 Cu. Ft Freezer could store things such as ice cream, ice cubes, meat, and 2.24 Cu. Ft storage to keep fruits, vegetables, beverages, and snacks.
Euhomy Mini-Fridge with Freezer could take a bit more space in your dorm room since its size is 33.07 in. × 19.7 in. × 18.9 in. But you could store more food, snacks, and beverages. Grabbing a drink is much easier since it has a reversible door and built-in handles. And the Automatic defrosting feature and seven temperature settings will help you run this compact fridge run 365 days without a hitch.
It comes with 3 color choices which are matte black, silver, and white. Also, it has adjustable feet, making it much easier to level the fridge on the floor or carpet. This mini-fridge is way quieter than other college dorm mini-fridges on the market when it’s not actively cooling. It could be a bit noisy when the cooling cycle is on, but it is not unbearably loud.
Pros
Energy Saving (Energy Star Rated)
Quieter Operation
7 Temperature Settings
Spacious Storage (with 3 Shelves)
3 Color Options (Matte Black, Silver & White)
Automatic Defrost
Reversible Door & Built-In Handle
Adjustable Feet
1 Year Warranty
Included Ice Cube Tray & Scrapper
Cons
Crisper drawer doesn’t seal well like in a regular refrigerator
A 3.1 Cu. Ft double door mini fridge with freezer with spacious compartments to store your food, beverages, and snacks. The reversible hinged door allows you to place it in any place that you would like. It has energy star ratings and a way quieter operation, making this much suitable mini fridge for the dorm room.
This compact refrigerator’s dimensions are 18.5 x 19.37 x 32.95 inches (W×D×H). It comes with a 2L bottle rack, 2 removable glass shelves, and a transparent drawer, making storing food and beverages much easier. And if you could always remove the crisper drawer if you need more space. The thermostat of this compact fridge allows you to easily adjust the fridge temperature from 33.8℉-50.0℉ and freezer temperature from -11.2℉ to 10.4℉.
Still, getting a beverage can or a bottle from the shelves could be a little bit difficult compared to other dorm mini-fridges. And since Midea WHD-113FSS1 compact fridge doesn’t have an automatic defrost feature, you would need to defrost the freezer once in a while manually.
Pros
Reversible Hinge Door & Adjustable Feet
Double Doors
Adjustable Thermostat
Could place it anywhere you want
2L Bottle Rack, 2 Shelves and Removable Crisper Drawer
Energy Star Rating
Ultra Quiet
Spacious ( Could Remove Crisper Drawer if you need more space)
1 Year Warranty
Cons
Have to manually defrost once in a while
hard to get a beverage can from the storage shelves
A powerful one-door Mini-Fridge with massive storage of 4.5 Cu. Ft. However, TECCPO TAMF33 has only 0.49 Cu. Ft freezer storage which is lesser freezer storage compared to many other dorm compact refrigerators. This has dimensions of 19.4 x 21.8 x 33.2 inches (W×D×H), and it would take a lot of space in your dorm compared to other mini-fridges.
Storing beverages and groceries would be much easier since there are three removable glass shelves that you could customize as you like. It has a removable crisper drawer as well. Automatic defrost and 6 adjustable temperature settings help control the temperature from 23℉ to 50℉. You could open the fridge so easily either to the left or right since it got a reversible door.
This compact fridge could be one of the best mini fridges with freezer for the dorm room since it comes with two wheels for mobility, and the manufacturer claims that it only consumes 0.06KWh (roughly around 0.07$) per day. Even though this is a super quiet mini-fridge, it could make some annoying noises when the cooling cycle is on.
EdgeStar CRF321SS is an energy-star-rated dorm-sized compact fridge with a 3.1 Cu. Ft capacity. Mini fridge’s dimensions are 19.75 x 18.75 x 33.5 inches (WxDxH) . The temperature could be adjusted from 34°F to 60°F using the adjustable thermostat. And this mini fridge weighs 52 pounds which is a bit high compared to other mini-fridges in this capacity range.
EdgeStar mini fridge could have the best freezer on the mini-fridges we’ve covered since it has compartments on the freezer, could hold frozen food, and there is not a lot of frosting in the freezer. Another special thing about this mini fridge is its long durability. Some people have said that they have been using the fridge for more than 4 years without trouble. Very quiet running and has adjustable glass shelves, one wire shelve, and a vegetable crisper.
This mini fridge does not have the self-defrosting feature on the freezer, but manually defrosting wouldn’t be that hard since there is little frosting buildup on the fridge.
Pros
May hold the best mini fridge freezer
longevity (there are people who’ve been using this more than 4 years)
Reversible doors (both fridge and freezer)
True stainless steel door
A removable glass shelve, wire shelve, and vegetable crisper
COSTWAY 22672BK-CYEP is the most valued powerful 3.2 Cu. Ft Mini Fridge for dorm room you could ever buy. Its double door elegant & practical design helps keep snacks, foods, and beverages organized. With the dimensions of 20’’x 17.5’’x 34’’ (LxDxH), you get access to large storage space, and you also get two removable shelves. The separated 1 Cu. Ft freezer compartment is quite large enough to fit an ice cube tray and a few more beverages on it.
This mini fridge also has a reversible door like other dorm mini fridges we’ve covered. Also, it has a magnetic door seal making it easier to close the door and prevent bacteria from getting inside the fridge. COSTWAY 22672BK-CYEP is a super quiet mini-fridge and could adjust the temperature settings from 32℉ to 50℉ using the thermostat.
COSTWAY 22672BK-CYEP does make some noise when the cooling cycle is active, but it’s ignorable. Controllers are great, but it’s harder to reach the temperature controller sometimes. And considering that it does not have self-defrosting, so you may need to defrost once in a while manually. Apart from that, this COSTWAY Compact Refrigerator is a great choice for a dorm room.
Danby DAR044A6MDB-6 is a minimalist-looking giant retro mini fridge with a capacity of 4.4 Cu. Ft (124L) and dimensions of 21.3 x 20.75 x 33.07 (WxDxH) inches. Storing tall bottles is much easier since it has integrated door shelvings. And it also has an integrated CanStor Dispense system that can store to keep your beverage cans in line.
The metallic door of the Danby Mini fridge holds an ergonomic door handle with a rubber grip which makes it easier to grab something from the fridge. Automatic defrosting feature, cool black design, roomy compartments, and scratch-resistant worktops are other good features that might come in handy in a dorm mini-fridge. The downside of the storage is that this mini fridge does not hold a freezer. The reversible door has a door lock which could come in handy.
Even though this is supposed to be a great mini-fridge, it holds one fixable issue, however. The Danby DAR044A6MDB-6 mini fridge’s thermostat is pretty poor, and there is an 8-12 degrees temperature difference between top and bottom shelves. But if you could replace the thermostat, the problem goes away.
Pros
Large Capacity ( 4.4 Cu. Ft = 124L )
Integrated CanStor Dispense System
Large Space to Store Bottles
Door Lock
Reversible Door
Metallic Door with Rubber Grip Handle
Auto Defrosting
Scratch Resistant Worktop
Cons
Doesn’t Have a Freezer
Does make a bit of noise
Thermostat Doesn’t Work Well
Take a lot of space compared to other dorm mini friges
A 3.5 Cu. Ft single door with a retro-inspired design that combines both vintage and modern looks. The dimensions of the mini-fridge are 17.7 x 18.7 x 31.8 inches (WxDxH) which would give you access to huge storage without taking much space in the dorm room. Refrigerator temperature has five settings to control the temperature between 0°C-10°C.
KUPPET dorm mini-fridge is ultra-quiet, spacious to store food and beverages, environment friendly, and uses low energy making it a great mini fridge for a dorm. The fridge door could more than hold a couple of 2L bottles. There are two removable shelves and a crisper drawer which you could customize as you like or removed to store more. The freezer is quite large enough to fit in a few microwave meals or leftovers and an ice cube tray.
The fridge door is not reversible and hinged to one side; that’s a downside of this mini fridge compared to others. And the ice build-up in the freezer is quite higher than in other mini-fridges, which could damage the freezer door unless you clean it from time to time.
Pros
5 Settings Thermostat
Energy Efficient
Low Operating Noise
Two Removable Shelves and Crisper Drawer
4 Leveling Legs to balance the fridge
Could hold Large 2L Bottles
Cons
Doors are not reversible
Ice build-up is quite high in the freezer (you have to clean it from time to time; otherwise, it could damage the freezer door)
This space-saving, stylish mini fridge with a capacity of 1.7 Cu. Ft is perfect for a college dorm. Storing food, snacks, and beverages without taking much space and using minimal energy (70w) makes that clear. This modern mini-fridge costs less than other mini-fridges and comes in three color choices: black, stainless steel, and white.
BLACK+DECKER BCRK17B mini fridge’s dimensions are 17.5″ x 18.5″ x 19.7″ (WxDxH) and it holds a 8″ x 2″ mini freezer inside. The removable glass shelves make it much easier to keep the mini-fridge clean, and if you want more space to store food, you could remove it. This energy star-rated amazon choice mini fridge also got a reversible door, an easily adjustable thermostat, and is pretty much quiet running.
However, since it’s a 1.7 Cu. Ft mini fridge you must take into advisement that you can’t store a lot of food and beverages in it. And since it doesn’t have self-defrosting, you would have to defrost manually. Bars on the fridge door that are made to hold bottles are fixed and since you can’t adjust it, storing bottles in the door is a bit harder. However, BLACK+DECKER BCRK17B is a good mini fridge for a college dorm for the price point.
Pros
Great for Small Spaces
Affordable
Included Ice Tray
Modern Look
Reversible Door
Removable Glass Shelve
Easily Adjustable Thermostat
Energy Star Rated & Environment Friendly
1 Year Warranty
Quiet Operation (42dB)
Cons
Can’t Store a lot of food since it only holds 1.7 Cu. Ft
The freezer is Quiet Small
Manual Defrost
09. hOmeLabs Mini Fridge – Best Under Counter Dorm Mini Fridge with Small Freezer
hOmeLabs HME030438N is a 2.4 Cu. Ft capacity single door mini fridge with 20.1 x 17.4 x 24.5 (WxDxH)inches you could keep in small spaces such as under the counter. The adjustable thermostats could be used to control the temperature from 39°F to 45°F, which helps keep your food, healthy college snacks, and beverages at optimal temperature.
The freezer of the hOmeLabs mini-fridge is small, but it could hold one or two microwave meals and an ice cube tray without trouble. Apart from that, it has a well-designed reversible door with two compartments, and the door could be opened at 180 degrees, making it much easier to store bottles and beverages. The unique feature of this mini fridge is you could write on the fridge door, and you could erase them using a dry eraser.
Unfortunately, we cannot use this freezer to store frozen food such as ice cream, which is a huge downside of this mini-fridge. And there is a noticeable noise coming from the fridge, but keeping it a few feet apart from you would help that issue.
Pros
Space Saving since it can be stored under the counter
Reversible Door with 180-degree rotation
Can write personal notes on the door fridge (and erasable by a dry eraser)
Well designed door to store bottles and beverages
Cons
Manual Defrost
Small Freezer
Can’t store frozen food such as ice cream in the freezer
Noticeable Operating Noise
Dorm Refrigerator – Buying Guide
Choosing a good dorm compact refrigerator is not an easy task. There are a lot of features they hold, and some of them are unique. But there are a few features you should be looking out for. That’s why we put this section to explain the things you must consider before buying a mini-fridge for your dorm room. Once you read this section, you would have a good idea to choose the best mini fridge for your dorm room.
source: Flickr/noricum
Dorm Room Space
Before buying a mini-fridge for the dorm, you should find out the size of the dorm room and how much space you could allocate to keep the mini-fridge. The typical area of a USA college dorm room is 180 square feet, and it could change according to the room type and the university. Hence you should find about the dorm room size and the mini-fridge size allowed by the college if there is one. You could do this by checking out their website or reading the housing policy, or you could ask a student currently living in the dorm.
Capacity
If you are a college student and have no plans on eating on campus, you would need a rather large mini-fridge. Especially you would need a spacious mini-fridge if you are buying and sharing the mini-fridge with your roommate or planning on store pre-cooked meals to microwave later on the mini-fridge. In that case, you should go with a mini-fridge with a capacity of 2.7-4.5 Cu. Ft according to your needs. If you plan on eating on campus, you could choose a mini-fridge with a capacity of around 1.7-2.5 Cu. Ft.
Freezer
Another important factor to think about when buying a mini-fridge in the freezer. There are a lot of compact refrigerators with freezers. Unfortunately, not all of them work as a normal freezer in a regular refrigerator. Some freezer sizes are so small that you will be only able to store one pre-cooked microwave meal there. And in some mini-fridges, you can’t store frozen food such as ice cream in the freezer, and it could be only used to store and keep beverages cold.
Sound
Keeping electronics in a dorm room is way different from keeping them in the house or an apartment. A dorm room is a tiny area, and the sound from any electronic item could be annoying and could distract you from studying. Hence you should find out if the mini-fridge is a quietly running one. If the mini-fridge is not that quiet or still making a small noise, you could always keep it a few feet away from you, which will make the noise unnoticeable.
Cleaning
Cleaning is not something that students tend to do very often, but it is crucial. Just like that, if you bought a mini-fridge, you would have to clean it from time to time. Talking about cleaning, you must have seen that some refrigerators have self-defrosting features, which means they automatically defrost the ice buildup in the freezer and other compartments. Mini fridges also have this feature, but some don’t. Therefore you have to defrost the freezer manually. If you don’t, it could damage the freezer door or other parts of the mini-fridge.
Price
One of the most important things when buying dorm supplies is the prices because it could directly impact the student budget. When buying a dorm mini-fridge, you won’t be able to save that much money. But if you could find out your needs, such as the capacity you want, you will still be able to save some. Another cost-cutting way is to buy the mini-fridge with your roommate, which will help you cut the cost in half, which will help your student budget substantially.
Can you keep a mini-fridge in a dorm room?
Even though you may absolutely need to keep a mini-fridge in your dorm room, actually keeping one depends on the housing policies of the school/college/university. Since there are fire safety issues, most schools or universities won’t allow you to bring or keep a mini-fridge in your dorm room. So, before you buy a mini-fridge for the dorm, you must first check out the college dorm housing policies.
What size of mini-fridge fit in a dorm room?
As you’ve seen, there are a lot of mini-fridges in various sizes. The mini-fridge size that would fit in your dorm room depends on a few things, such as the dorm room size and the storage capacity you need.
Dorm Room Size – If you are still not have seen the dorm room, you could find the size of the dorm room by checking out the college/school website or just by asking a previous or current student that goes there.
Storage Capacity – If you aren’t going to eat on campus, you would need a dorm mini fridge with a large capacity of more than 3.1 Cu. Ft.
Dorm Policies – Check out the housing policies that colleges/schools have. They will have some information about the dorm mini-fridge sizes you could keep in your dorm room.
What is used to Protect Mini Fridge?
There are certain things that you may need to protect your mini-fridge from. One is protecting the snacks, food, or beverages stored from visitors, which could be done using a fridge lock. If the mini-fridge doesn’t have a built-in lock, you could buy a fridge lock for your dorm fridge.
And the other thing is protecting your mini-fridge from lightning and power surges, which could harm your electronics and often cause a fire. In this case, you should use a surge protector to connect your mini-fridge to the power outlet.
How to Store the Mini Fridge in the Dorm Room?
You should pay attention to saving space in the dorm room when buying dorm supplies such as a dorm mini-fridge, microwave for the dorm, cooking supplies, and others. You could save some space by using a microwave mini-fridge cabinet to keep your mini-fridge and microwave together. This will also help you keep things cleaner and organized in your dorm room.
Best Microwave Refrigerator Cabinets For Dorm Rooms
A good durable large storage cabinet with adjustable shelving for your dorm room could hold up to 300lbs. Cabinet dimensions are 18 x 48 x 53 (LxWxH) inches, giving access to a large space.
There is a large wide shelf where you could keep your mini-fridge and microwave. And there are three small shelves to keep your cooking supplies or anything you would like. The top shelf is 72 inches wide which you could also use to keep a large item such as a television. You don’t need any tool to assemble it, and they also have given the option to deliver the cabinet assembled by experts.
Rectangular-shaped mini fridge cabinet with 2 adjustable shelves to hold cooking supplies or electronics such as microwave. There is a large bottom shelve that is made for storing the mini-fridge.
Overall dimensions of the mini shelf supreme by DormCo is 52″H x 24″W x 18″ D, and it got frames that allow venting for electronics you keep on it. You won’t need any tools to put it together since its assembly is pretty much easy.
A modern-looking stylish mini-fridge storage cabinet made by laminated particleboard available in colors white and black. The cabinet measures about 15.63 x 23.5 x 72 (LxWxH) inches and weighs about 71lbs. It also offers door locks and space for various items such as cooking supplies, glasswares, microwaves, snack packs other than mini fridge storage space.
The lower shelf can hold up to 50lbs, and you could keep the microwave there if you’d like it. Ameriwood SystemBuild Clarkson Mini Refrigerator storage cabinet blends in with your other furniture more than other storage cabinets. Assembly is easy, but it has to be done with precautions since if you put more pressure, there is a chance you could damage it.
This DormCo mini fridge storage organizer with dimensions 24″W x 18″ D x 52″H have a storage basket, Adjustable Wire Shelf, sliding shelf, which is more than enough to keep your kitchen supplies, and on the top shelf, you could keep electronics such as a mini-fridge or a microwave or both. Suprima portable mini fridge organizer could hold up to 220lbs weight. You don’t need any tools for the assembly, but the instructions are hard to understand. Since it gives you some height to keep the mini-fridge, it becomes much more accessible and since it uses only small spaces makes it perfect for keeping your mini-fridge in the dorm room.
Another mini fridge storage cabinet dimensions are 18 x 24 x 77.48 (LxWxH) inches and have more height than other models. If you are getting a large mini-fridge for an apartment or dorm, DormCo Suprima Extra Height Mini Shelf Supreme is the best choice. There are four adjustable shelves and bottom space made to store a mini-fridge. Assembly is fairly easy, and you don’t need any tools for it. However, you could have trouble putting a large microwave on it. Otherwise, you could keep your coffee maker, a tv, or cooking supplies on it without having any trouble since the shelves are sturdy enough to hold them.
The Conclusion – Best Dorm Mini Fridge with Freezer
A mini-fridge is one of the necessary consumer electronics that should be in a dorm room. However, buying a compact refrigerator according to your needs and one that matches your dorm could get extremely rough. After going through our best mini-fridges for the dorm piece, we hope you have found the best dorm mini-fridge for you and solved your cold beverages storage problem.
Before heading out to college, make sure to stack up and pack college dorm room essentials. Without these, you might have a hard time living in a dorm and getting your daily needs done before heading out for classes.
Our college packing list has everything that college student needs to keep in their dorm room from bedding to dorm room electronics.
Dorm beds come in irregular sizes which means the sheets you bring from home won’t sometimes make the fit. It is better to go for Twin XL sheets for the dorm bed. Our pick is a Twin XL microfiber extra-long sheet that will be more comfortable and extremely soft.
Enough sleep is often an underrated kind of rest that every college student must take. A good pillow can help you get a better night’s sleep with sweet dreams. Our pick for the dorm pillows is Utopia’s premium pillows which are large, super soft, and comfortable.
Sleeping enough hours is important for a college student, as it is important to study for a few hours a day. Get shit done dorm throw pillowcases will remind you of the work you have to do if you went to bed in the daytime (if you ain’t a night owl).
Nights are the coldest in some places, especially in the winter. That’s why you need to make sure that you pack a good blanket when going to college. We recommend that you pick a cozy and warm Twin XL size blanket with you to college.
Just as a bedsheet you do need a twin XL comforter that will fit your dorm bed. The dorm bed comforter should be soft and durable. ViscoSoft provides a reversible twin XL comforter that’s cozy, soft and durable enough for a college student to use.
Dorm beds usually come with a mattress – a mattress protector could ease your mind about spilling things over on the mattress. SafeRest Twin XL size classic plus mattress protector is 100% waterproof and comes with a 10-year warranty.
A mattress pad has a memory foam topper which could make your uncomfy dorm mattress into a comfy hotel-like mattress in a second. Bedsure Twin XL microfiber mattress pad is soft and comfortable enough to help you sleep better at night.
Sometimes dorm curtains may not be able to block all the lights that come into the room. In that case to help you sleep you might need a sleep mask around. FRESHME cotton sleep mask is 100% handmade and comfortable for your eyes – so you won’t have to worry about falling asleep a bit quicker.
Late-night activities are a kind of a thing in college. Just like the light, you may not be able to sleep at night accounting for the noises that come into the room even though you took precautions. QQCherry noise-canceling earplugs have three-layer protection which makes them perfect for sleeping as well as studying.
Early classes can be a little bit harder to attend in college if you don’t wake up early enough. This is why you must have an alarm clock in your dorm – even though you have an alarm on your phone. JALL wooden alarm clock is portable enough and has a wireless phone charger built in which is really helpful for a college student living in a dorm.
Dirty laundry pilling up in your dorm could really ruin the view for you – especially after you spend money on a dorm room theme. To keep your dirty laundry and carry it to the laundry room you might need a portable laundry hamper. CleverMade collapsible laundry caddy could hold up to two loads of dirty laundry and has two separate divided areas to keep both dirty and clean clothes in it.
Many colleges provide wardrobes and closets in the dorm for the students. Unfortunately, no one would provide you with clothes hangers which you will have to include in your college packing list. These nonslip plastic hangers from NEATERIZE are great for organizing your dorm closet.
Keeping your dirty clothes ain’t going to help you every day – cleaning and washing them is a must, especially in college. To clean dirty clothes, laundry detergent is a must-have in your dorm room. Tide Pode laundry detergent packs became our first pick since it also includes dryer sheets as well as a scent booster.
Using an iron and a board is one of the ways to remove wrinkles from clothes – but this could take more space in your dorm room. Using a portable clothes streamer is the next best option you have which saves you space in the dorm room. Hilife portable steamer for clothes can give you 700W power steam and a 9-foot cord which you can use to iron your clothes remotely.
Ironing your clothes is pretty much important unless you want to wear wrinkled clothes in classes. However, the traditional iron board could take up a lot of space in your dorm room – which you won’t have much left after unpacking. This portable ironing mat blanket from BNYD can be put on a metallic or flat surface to iron your clothes and it will help you save while removing wrinkles in your clothes.
If you are not much of a fan of clothes steamer – and want to go for iron for ironing your clothes, we recommend the BLACK+DECKER compact steam iron that uses SmartSteam Technology to optimize the steam and temperature you select while ironing the clothes.
Storing your clothes or items under the dorm bed can save a ton of space in the dorm room. These foldable under-bed bags from Onlyeasy have tons of space, portability, and more than enough durability to be used in the dorm room.
It will be cool to have your laptop on your side of the bed without having to worry about it falling over, especially if you have a lofted dorm bed. Sidekiix heavy-duty storage tray can hold your laptop, cellphones, or heavy textbooks and it is the perfect bedside shelve you could buy for a dorm bed.
The Conclusion – Ultimate Dorm Essentials and College Packing List
Packing for college can be a tough task – especially if you are not sure what to bring to college for your freshman year. Our dorm room essentials list has everything that college students need to keep in their dorm rooms.
It’s hard for professors to check for plagiarism when students turn their papers and essays into actual papers. Nowadays, the majority of college professors make their students turn in their papers and essays in electronic ways such as email to make it easy to check for plagiarism.
Let’s say It’s 4 p.m, and you remembered that you have to turn in your forgotten uncompleted assignment and submit it by the deadline at 5 p.m. Has this ever happened to you? Bet it has. When you could not submit the assignment on time or before, most professors do not retake it, and in the end, you will end up harming your grades.
Turning your essays and papers is never will do any good for you in life. The professors have a strict timeline because of a reason, which is to make you practice work on time. Later with time, when you get a good job, you’ll make the same mistake and get behind in work. You never want that.
In This Post
10 Tips for Turning in Your Assignment Late
There are ways you could turn your papers and essays late, but we strongly advise against it because it is never good for you. But some of these methods won’t do any harm, so if you want to keep the grades that much worse, you can try them.
01. Identify Your Mistakes
First, find out why did you forget to finish your assignment in time. Unless if that because of an unavoidable reason like a health problem, you should first identify why you could not do it. This step will help you never let it happen again, well, unless you are never going to take action.
02. Talk to Your Professors
You should talk to your professors as soon as possible, which means before the deadline that you have to submit your assignment. If you have a good reason for not finishing the assignment in time, your professors will appreciate reaching out to them.
Also, this will show your professors that you didn’t wait till the last minute to finish your essays and papers, and you have at least tried to do it. That might warrant you a second chance, but no guarantees.
03. Take Responsibility
Make sure to convince your professor that you knew that your professor announced the deadline in advance. That might get you on their good side since they appreciate that acknowledgment.
04. Use minimum excuses as possible
Professors do not like excuses. It is not to be harsh to you; it is just because it was because the deadline was announced earlier. Some students use excuses when they couldn’t finish the assignments that were given to them. So, using excuses will make you look like a lazy student who didn’t care about assignments.
05. Check and Turn in your assignment
Depending on how you talked, your professor will grant you an extended period to submit the assignment. So, make sure that your assignment is finished and has no mistakes. Reread it at least one time and submit your assignment.
06. Assure your professor that it won’t happen again
Assure your professor that you care about the subject, and you understand what happened is wrong, even if it has a valid reason. Make sure to convince him that it won’t happen again.
07. Don’t get upset about the points
If you did not submit the assignment in time and your professor was kind enough to give you an extended period, you may get a lower score than other students even if you have completed the assignment better than others. Don’t mind your points; be thankful to your professor since he still let you submit it also if he could choose not to.
08. Don’t let it happen again
Actions make a better impression than the words, so be sure never to let it happen again. Always finish your assignments and submit them before the deadline. Do not wait for the deadline to come to submit it.
09. Try to Cheat the System: Not Recommended
As you know, no electronic way is perfect. So, you maybe can find a way to cheat the system. But be warned, before you, many students must have tried to do that, and your professor must already know that what you are trying to do. So, directly talking to your professor is the best way to deal with a late assignment.
10. The Corrupted File: Not Recommended
This is not a good way either, but you can try it be warned your professor must have already known this. All you have to do is make your word document unreadable, so when your professor takes a look at it, it will show a message like “there was a problem with this file’s content.” Then if your professor asks you to send it again, you should apologize for the inconvenience and try to send the working word file (not the corrupted one).
In A Nutshell
With your busy student life, you will have assignments that you forgot to turn before the deadline. However, like you already know by now, there are ways you could still turn them in, even if you get a few points taken off.
Be sure what you want to, the best way to deal with a late assignment is directly contacting your professor. Cheating the system is much riskier, and it won’t work sometimes. If your professor gets the idea of what you are trying to do, you might he’ll get a wrong impression on you.
To evade submitting a late assignment, the best thing you can do it finish and submit the assignment before the deadline.