Why a Bathrobe is a College Essential for Freshman Year

As a senior who’s lived in dorms for years, I can tell you that a bathrobe is one of those overlooked dorm room essentials that becomes invaluable. In most college dorms, you’ll be sharing bathrooms with your entire floor. That means walking through public hallways to shower, often passing lounges and common areas. A bathrobe lets you make that trek comfortably and modestly.

Beyond just shower trips, your bathrobe becomes a college essential for those early morning fire drills, late-night study sessions in the floor lounge, or quick runs to grab delivery food from the lobby. It’s basically a wearable privacy curtain that makes communal living much more manageable.

Pro tip: Choose a knee-length or longer robe that’s machine washable. You’ll be using the dorm laundry facilities, so anything requiring special care will just collect dust.