Ask Lemmy

• WiFi router may not work anyway, most schools shut off the lan ports, have captive portals and make you Mac register each device. VPNs may also not work, your mileage may vary. It is a public network, treat it as such.
• For 99% people, one laptop is fine. You may consider a laptop dock if you plan on using a secondary monitor/peripherals.
• For redundancy, I'd be more worried about data; have a backup drive and make it sync regularly to your school work folder. Don't rely on solely on internet to store/access assignments, but the school's provided cloud will be good as your 3rd "off site" backup.
• Rechargeable batteries will save you lots of money.
• there will be printers on campus. Most classes have digital turn in for assignments anyways. A laser printer should travel fine with some padding, maybe take out the toner drum and put that in a plastic bag just to be safe?
• everything else is personal preference, if you like the radio and other electronics, go for it. If you're not really going to use them, leave them behind.

Few extra tips

• get a surge protector with a long cord, most schools don't allow extension cords or power splitters.

• if your budget allows, an iPad/tablet can pay for it self with savings from digital book rentals; its nicer to read on than a laptop and renting a book for $20-70 for a few months (or otherwise digitally acquiring it) is a lot better than dealing with renting hard copies or being forced to buy them outright. (Though some require the codes, which complicates things). It's also a more portable device than the laptop, which makes it great for simple note taking and accessing books in class.

• wire cube shelfs make great extra storage and a makeshift night stand. They breakdown and assemple really easy, making it easy to transport.

• bring some comfort items to make the space your own. Shouldn't be any with high sentimental value, but a poster, favorite toy, a photo, a plant, or whatever else you like.

• finally. I encourage you to socialize a bit. If your first roommates don't really vibe with you, you can select new ones for the following years. Unfortunately some people are just terrible. If your roommates suck, talk to the housing staff, they will first try to resolve issues and failing that can relocate you.

The solution to social phobia isn't to design your life around avoiding people. It's fine if you prefer to spend time alone, but it's important to be able to tolerate even the experiences you dislike the most. I might feel great suffering when I have to do math, but it's important that I'm able to do some basic calculations when I have to.

It sounds like your aversion to being around people is causing some serious disruptions in important parts of your life, like eating meals. I promise that continuing to avoid people will not make the problem go away. I'm a big advocate for therapy. It might sound impossible to you since it involves talking to someone for extended periods of time, but therapists are there to listen without judgement, and to help you have an easier time in life.

You need professional help. How do you think your life is going to work, especially if your parents are gone?

If you need some places to be alone to recharge either while eating or other times during the day. There will be lots of those around but might need to look for them but they are usually in libraries or quiet buildings.

It seems like you love computers, networking, self hosting and other technology related hobbies. You may be afraid to meet new people but the good news if you give yourself the opportunity these hobbies will have lots of people to do these things with. If you are doing anything in that field of study these people will be in your classes and the same thing if you join a group or club in that area. These will be your people and you will have lots in commons. Search out and find them

Bring only the items you cannot live without until your first break home. In the US, that is typically Thanksgiving or Winter break after the first semester.

Don't bring a printer, a radio, or routers. If you have no desire to socialize with others, you may want to consider an apartment off campus.

As far as bringing stuff they are standard dorm lists.

I really recommend mini fridge with freezer section. If you are afraid of roommates stealing stuff there maybe some with locks?

Most of the time schools send out personality charts and if you fill it out they match you with someone similar. Sometimes it works....

Ummm... I showed up, said hello to my roommate, and went on with my life?

I have to say - it sounds like you need therapy to get over this phobia. Living in a college dorm with another person should be, at most, kind of annoying sometimes. It's only a threat because you personally are thinking of it as a threat. There is no actual physical harm being threatened to your body or mind. Millions if not billions of people share rooms with other people all over the world every day. Think of it as an opportunity to challenge yourself and grow as a person.

You don't mention having a problem sleeping with someone else around, which is good. But even the most considerate roommate is going to want to use the space they're entitled to. And why even go to uni if you're not going to attend the classes?

Eating could be a big problem, unless it's possible to bring your food out of the cafeteria and you can find a place that you're comfortable in.

You might be successful finding a corner of the library or another building that offers more privacy for studying than your dorm.

Meanwhile, you should start now stretching your limits of tolerance, like eating with your parents, or with strangers if that's easier and you can afford to eat out.

Don't bring a printer.

You'll be fine, people ain't as scary as you think they are and usually kind enough to be... accommodating if you politely express your needs. It feels like it's gonna be a very necessary experience in your life if you wanna have some sort of normality later on, so take it that way and enjoy it!

It's hard to give advice on rtl sdr. How big is the antenna? If it's a small one it will be fun to see what signals you find at the campus, they're usually pretty noisy. But I wouldn't set up a 2m antenna in a shared dorm, unless I really knew I had the space.

My roommate never showed up. It was both awesome and kinda sucked because it meant I lost out on a typical college experience. The next year I got a single though

If you want to piss people off, run a dot matrix printer constantly in earshot. Where the hell did you even get one, and why? Is this some tech hipster thing?

I showed up. Met roommates went out drinking with roommates went on living life as normal.

I brought a bag of cloths, a toiletries bag, a laptop a phone, chargers and shit for that and that was all I needed. Hell except for a car that's 90% of what I own.

Op u sound like u severely struggle with socialising to the degree it is effecting your life in a serious manner. I suggest getting therapy as if u don't this could have serious detrimental effects on your future.

Wear a shirt with these words printed on the front side: "granted leave of absence now."

And on the back side: "You are"

So when somebody talks to you, you kindly wait until they have spoken, then turn your back on them.

/s