I'm a college senior. Here's what I recommend all incoming freshmen get for their dorm rooms — and everything they can leave at home.

• I'm a college senior at the University of Texas at Austin.
• I recommend incoming college freshmen buy steamers and dry-erase boards for their dorms.
• But I would tell freshmen to leave their mattress toppers and printers at home.

College campuses around the country are about to be flooded with incoming freshman and their parents. Many will be moving in with carloads of dorm goods that they probably will never use. Their parents probably spent hours Googling "best command strips for temporary use" and "best twin XL sheets." 

As a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, I know how stressful dorm shopping can be. I've done it several times over the years and have really honed in on what students need to make their dorms their home away from home. 

Here is my definitive list of seven things you may not think you need, but you definitely do, and seven things that are probably on your list but that you can go without.

A mattress topper isn't necessary

You may not be used to a mattress you didn't buy yourself, but, for the most part, colleges will provide you with a sturdy mattress that will be perfect for all of your needs. 

The mattress topper is also not likely to transfer to your college apartment once you leave dorm life behind.

But you should definitely invest in a handheld, cordless vacuum cleaner

Parents may not like hearing this, but students: You're probably going to eat snacks in bed more than you think you will, and you're going to end up with crumbs in your sheets.

Smaller, more portable vacuums are easier to handle, don't have any tripping hazards in a shared space, and are easy to use. 

You probably won't need a bed caddy

Pretty much anything you would put in a bed caddy just ends up on your desk or on the shelf or drawers you get assigned. 

In most cases, there's basically nothing you absolutely need to reach so badly that a bed caddy becomes a necessity. They're also prone to falling off the beds, and there's no guarantee they'll fit your specific bed frame. 

I do recommend buying a dry-erase board

If you're a STEM student, dry-erase boards and markers are immensely helpful with solving math or chemistry problems. If you're a humanities student, they're great for bare-bones plotting of your essays. 

They're also great for writing out your busy schedule and leaving yourself cute notes throughout the week. 

Leave the LED lights at home

Apart from most likely being banned, LED lights are havens for all sorts of creepy crawlies. If you're not a fan of worrying about whether or not a spider is making a home for its family behind your blinking neon purple lights, there's no reason to get them. 

A dishwand has been immensely helpful to me

Sure, your dorm room probably doesn't have a sink or a full kitchen to wash dishes, but you will probably have a reusable water bottle on you at all times. I found that dishwands are super helpful with keeping your beloved Contigo mold-free. 

A diffuser can annoy your new roommate

Having a diffuser probably won't be allowed in your dorm building, but it's also something that could disturb the peace with your roommate. It's best to have things that are inoffensive to both parties.

A combination lock is an absolute must-have in my book

Safety is important on college campuses, but you can't keep your eyes on your belongings all day, every day. You may be able to screen who you bring over to your dorm, but you can't police your roommate's friends in the same sense. Theft is not an impossibility, especially if you're known to wear nice jewelry.

A dorm-room printer is just a bulky nonnecessity

In most cases, you will have printer access all over campus, especially at the library. Plus, in my experience, I never had to print things. Nowadays, even math problems are assigned online. Portable printers are also notoriously hard to hook up in college dorms and are not worth the hassle.  

A handheld fan can be helpful year-round 

If you're in a hot place — or even if you're in a relatively cooler area but during a summer month — a handheld fan can be worthwhile. Many dorms don't have individual air conditioning for the rooms, and a fan can be a lifesaver.

You won't have any room for a Brita 

A Brita filter won't fit in your fridge. Get a smaller filter instead or get a Brita water bottle, which you can pour into your own water bottle. Most pitchers are not dorm-fridge friendly, and it's important to figure out a way to filter your water that will truly work.

A steamer has come in handy for me several times

There will be campus events you'll want to attend, and some expos or functions require you to wear nice clothing. If you interview for a difficult-to-attain spot in an organization, you want to look put-together. A steamer would definitely help. 

Plus, steamers are so small that they can follow you through dorm life, your first apartment, and into your professional life — and will help you look good doing it.

There are much better alternatives to a mesh shower caddy

Mesh shower caddies stay wet and can mold easily if not dried properly. I recommend you get a plastic one that's easy to clean; it'll save you a lot of time and effort. 

Since we're on the topic of showers, I say you should invest in strong shower shoes, so a strap doesn't break mid-wash.

A long phone charger will be a lifesaver 

This may seem obvious, but a longer cord for your charger is extremely helpful, especially if you plan to bring your charger with you during the day. You never know where you'll need to plug in your phone, and you don't know how far charging ports might be from your bed or your desk in your dorm room.