The summer before your freshman year can be a very stressful time — between the excitement of finally leaving for school and the terror that you will get there and realize that you forgot something.

One of the biggest concerns of an incoming freshman is, “What on Earth am I supposed to bring?”

There are the obvious things, such as clothes, bedding, snack food, a television and, of course, room decorations. You want to bring decorations that will allow the people you meet to get a taste of who you really are.

Fill your room with your favorite colors and patterns. Pictures from home are always a good touch. They can help with homesickness as well as show people a little bit about you and your friends and family.

Some things are not quite so obvious. When living in the dorms you are deprived of space. It is important to have items and furniture for storage purposes, like shelves and drawers.

“A hammer, screwdriver and flashlight are important to have,” said Ciara McCarty, freshman in kinesiology. “That seems a little random, but I don’t know how many times I actually used those or had someone borrow them for random issues around the room.”

Through all of the hype over what you will need to decorate your room, you may forget that you are going to college to go to classes and you will need school supplies — pencils, notebooks, calculators and a backpack, just to name a few.

“I suggest getting a netbook or a Mac instead of a laptop if you plan on bringing your computer to classes,” said Justin Mikesell, sophomore in chemistry. “I have had a lot of problems with loosing battery power very quickly.”

Classes can get a bit overwhelming at times, so bring some leisure activities to relax with. These can be your favorite books, movies, video or board games, arts and crafts, or anything else you enjoy.

But the most important thing to bring, said Thomas Stecher, freshman in aerospace engineering: “Money for Super Dogs,” which are sold on Welch Avenue.