Probably one of the most exciting things about college is getting your first place.

I always thought about how I would decorate mine, and how much cuter it would be than any of my friends’.

The keyword being thought about it — I didn’t actually plan for it.

I wasn’t prepared for all the things I had to buy for my apartment. I just assumed that everything would fall into place at some point, or that my roommates would get them.

I lived at University Village last year, so I had all the essentials I needed to survive. I didn’t think that I would need anymore stuff.

Boy, was I in for a surprise.

Turns out, I needed many things, one of the most important being a couch.

When I first opened the door to my apartment everything was empty, and only a fridge, microwave and a note welcoming us to our new place were inside.

It finally hit me that this would be my home. I had made it.

But where was everything? It looked nothing like how it did when we first toured the apartment.

For four long months, we had no furniture.

We desperately looked for couches but nothing was within our budget. Students were burning couches every weekend, and here we were in need of one.

Finally, I decided to buy a futon.

Who knew a simple futon could make an apartment feel like home?

Moral of the story: buy some kind of seating, like couches, futons or chairs. It’s essential.

If there’s anything I could advise other people before getting their first apartment, it would be to buy things ahead of time.

Don’t buy everything at the last minute.

Here are some of the essentials:

• Coffee maker (because what college student can survive without coffee?)
• Toaster
• Dish detergent
• Vacuum
• Mop and broom
• Table
• Food

The list is endless.

Also, make sure to talk to your roommates. Communicate and let one another know who will be getting what. There’s no point in having four coffeemakers when only one is necessary.

This could also save a lot of money. If roommates are willing to share stuff, it makes life so much easier.

Getting a first apartment can be fun but prepare ahead of time.

Don’t be like me and scramble after move-in day comes.

The receipt at the end of that first shopping spree is enough to bring about some tears.

Daisy Dardon can be reached at [email protected] or @daisydardon on Twitter.