Go retro with the boxiest appliance on your must-have list. Igloo's sleek mini fridge includes a freezer compartment, a door basket that holds two 1-liter bottles, and a side-mounted stainless steel bottle opener. Buy it at Amazon.
When natural light is scarce, "having something to brighten your room besides the awful fluorescents is crucial," said Katy Schneider at New York. Try draping this 100-foot string of industrial-chic LED lights over your bed, or display them coiled in a glass jar. Buy it at Amazon.
This hand-painted woven doormat might just save you from the embarrassment of setting off the dorm sprinkler system, but it's even better as a daily pick-me-up — "for all the times your parents aren't there to remind you," said Newsday. Buy it at Etsy.
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Just because your classmates are in PJs doesn't mean you should look like you just rolled out of bed. "Luckily, that doesn't require any actual ironing skills," said David Pierce at Wired — if you have a steamer that upgrades your look with a few quick swipes. Buy it at Amazon.
Sometimes, the best furnishing choice for a dorm room is one that helps you escape it. This two-person hammock made from parachute nylon comes with handy tree straps and packs down into a small sack. Buy it at Amazon.
Editor's note: Every week The Week's editors survey product reviews and articles in websites, newspapers, and magazines, to find cool and useful new items we think you'll like. We're now making it easier to purchase these selections through affiliate partnerships with certain retailers. The Week may get a share of the revenue from these purchases.
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