Hall must-haves

Staying away from home for the first time? Seniors dish on the “must-bring” items for your hall room

by Chrystal Chan

Nicholas Teoh, Business

Bathroom slippers
“You won’t want to stuff your feet into your sneakers every time you go to the bathroom so bring some rubber flip-flops or bathroom slippers that are non-slip and will dry fast.”

Lidded trash can
“You should bring a lidded trash can so you don’t have to step out of your room every time you need to throw tissue or small pieces of rubbish. Discarded plastic bags can be used to line the bin.”

Reading lamp
“Be a considerate roommate and get a small reading light that you can clamp to your table if you like staying up late.”

Grace Tan, Art, Design & Media

Insecticide / Pesticide
“A girl’s worst nightmare are pests like cockroaches. Have a can of insect spray in your room and keep it somewhere easily accessible for emergencies!”

Laundry basket
“You’ll need a laundry basket to store your dirty clothes. I recommend a light straw basket with handles that you can easily carry to the laundry room.”

Adelena Oh, Humanities

Storage boxes
“These are great for storing pretty much anything from snacks to sundries. Not only do they prevent your belongings from getting dusty, they help things on open shelves look more put together. Daiso sells baskets made of soft plastic or fabric, which are easy to fold and pack away.”

Desk mirror
“The full-length mirror provided in your hall room may not be positioned in a spot that has good lighting. A table mirror gives you the freedom to move about and find the best lighting.”

Diffuser
“To keep your room smelling fresh and pleasant, get a diffuser as it’s especially useful for removing food odours if you eat in your room.”

Wang Zhi Hao, Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Scissors
“Apart from the usual cutlery like forks, spoons and chopsticks, you’ll also need a pair of multi-purpose scissors to cut price tags or open your bags of snacks.”

Annabel Chen, Biological Sciences

Eye mask
“Earplugs and an eye mask are handy for undisturbed rest – and essential for harmonious living with your roomie, even if he or she is not a chronic snorer.”

Ong Chu Wen, Social Sciences

Dish sponge
“Even if you don’t intend to cook in hall, you should bring a dish sponge to get the stains out of your coffee mug. The hall pantry may provide one but you don’t know what else it has cleaned!”

Wet wipes
“A pack of antibacterial wet wipes will save you from accidental spills. And you’ll want clean hands before digging into that bag of chips.”

Lam Yue Ching, Humanities

Wall hooks
“Have some removable hooks that attach to your wall or cupboard via suction cups. You can use these hooks to hang up clothes you want to wear again instead of draping them over your chair.”

Jonas Koh, Chemical & Biomedical Engineering

Water jug
“Get a big water jug to save you the hassle of making multiple trips to the water cooler. I recommend one made of glass so you can put hot water in it as well. Glass is also more eco-friendly than plastic.”

Router
“Aside from bringing a LAN cable for your laptop, you should bring a router so that you can get a strong Wi-Fi connection in your room for your mobile devices.”

Scented candles
“I like my room to feel cosy, so I have a scented candle and candle warmer on my desk to make me feel right at home. What’s more, it can get rid of unpleasant odours and impress your friends when they visit. I opted for a candle warmer as that’s safer than an open flame.”

Chia Kun Liang, Communication

Windproof clothes pegs
“These clothes pegs are an upgrade from your normal pegs. They come with a plastic hoop that you can securely fasten to your drying poles so they don’t fall off or get blown away by strong winds.”

Jar of new one dollar coins
“You’ll need one dollar coins to operate the washer and dryer in the laundry room. As the machines in Pioneer and Crescent Halls only accept the new dollar coins, I keep a jar of them in my room so I’m always prepared.”

Laundry bags
“I have a few of those laundry nets from Daiso, which I prefer over a typical clothes basket as I can sort my laundry into different bags in advance. It’s also more convenient as I can put the bags directly into the washing machine when I’m in the laundry room.”