If you're venturing to college in the coming weeks, you'll likely be super excited to start your new life and work towards your future, however, there's one thing you will definitely not be looking forward to: Sharing a dorm bathroom. But, don't worry, there are dorm bathroom hacks you can utilize to make your experience way less daunting, gross, and cringe-worthy. Heck, they might even make your dorm bathroom routine pleasant.
Folks whose freshman year seems like a distant memory will be well versed in the experience of sharing a dorm bathroom. As someone who went to a small college in England, I was extremely lucky to share a bathroom with just two other girls for my entire college education. That being said, I am no stranger to hostels and campsite bathrooms, which share a similar setup to the dreaded dorm bathroom. There is something super weird about performing your ablutions in front of people you don't know; not to mention being completely naked in a shower cubicle, knowing there's someone else showering barely a meter away.
Once you've gotten over the potential embarrassments of sharing a bathroom, you might find it's actually not so bad – who knows, you may even meet your new BFF while you're brushing your teeth! So here are some dorm bathroom hacks you can use to make your experience run much more smoothly, because nobody likes picking other people's pubes off their soap.
1. Invest In Some Serious Flip-Flops Or Shower Slippers
Non-Skid Grip Women's Shower Slippers Size 5-8, $21, Amazon
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but communal showers are not like regular showers. There will probably be unidentifiable, floating debris, clumps of hair, and other miscellaneous vile things in your shower block. Protect your precious tootsies from the macabre shower floor with a pair of flip-flops or shower slippers – they'll make treading on toe nails less traumatic.
2. Take Your Own Toilet Paper
Scott 1000 Sheets Per Roll Toilet Paper Bath Tissue 27 Rolls, $17, Amazon
You won't be caught short when you take your own toilet paper to the bathroom. Buy it in bulk and keep it stored under your bed, so you won't be forced to ask your cubicle mate if you can borrow some T.P.
3. Wear A Towel Wrap
ByLora Women's Cotton Polka Dotted Wrap Towels, $22-$26, Amazon
Instead of struggling to hide your modesty with a regular towel post shower, take a towel wrap instead so it'll be less likely you'll accidentally flash anyone on your way out.
4. Use Toilet Seat Spray Before You Sit
Lysol Disinfectant Spray To Go Travel Size 4 Pack, $10, Amazon
Let's face it, nobody knows what kind of germs are going to be festering atop a dorm bathroom toilet seat. Instead of hovering for the next three years, take some disinfectant toilet seat spray with you to the bathroom, so you can poop freely without worrying about millions of (likely) imagined diseases.
5. Buy A Shower Caddy
7 Pocket Shower Caddy Tote Grey, $8, Amazon
Don't bother trying to carry all of your personal hygiene products to the bathroom without a shower caddy – you probably won't manage it! Make your life much easier by picking up a mesh shower caddy so you don't have to struggle with multiple products or risk leaving anything behind.
6. Don't Forget A Toiletry Bag
This YouTuber has a toiletry bag that she takes to the restroom, so she doesn't have to take her shower caddy each time. Her toiletry bag includes: A small hand towel, hand soap, spray, and feminine products so she's always got everything she needs in a neat little bag.
7. Purchase A Selection Of Different Towels
6 Piece Grape Color Towel Set College Dorm Bath Set, $26, Amazon
When you go to college, make sure you pack a selection of different towels. You'll need multiple towels for a couple of reasons: Firstly, because it'll save you having to do laundry basically every day and secondly, because you can use them for different purposes. Just like at home, you might want to use a smaller towel for your face and a larger towel for you bod, which will save you from dragging around a huge, damp towel when you're just going to brush your teeth. You'll likely benefit from taking a hand towel as well for the same reasons.
8. Keep Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel In Your Pocket
Antibacterial Travel Hand Sanitizer Gel With Aloe by L'Autre Peau (3-pack), $8, Amazon
There may not always be hand wash available in your dorm bathroom, especially if you're in a particularly busy block, so make sure you always have antibacterial hand sanitizer in your pocket to keep your mitts squeaky clean.
9. Brush Your Hair Before You Shower
This savvy YouTuber informs viewers of a ton of tips on dorm room life and sharing a communal bathroom. A great dorm bathroom hack she stands by, that will avoid possible ickiness, is to brush your hair before you take a shower. The reason behind this is when you wash your hair, chances are, your dead strands will fall out and get stuck in the drain or the shower tray (depending on your bathroom's showers) and you will have to reach in and remove your hair from amongst the other delightful treasures that are caught up in there. Need I say more?
10. Invest In A Style Station
Polder Style Station Pink, $20, Amazon
Do you prefer to style your hair in front of a mirror with plenty of room, rather than struggle in your tiny dorm room? Silly question, right? Depending on the size of your dorm room, it may be easier for you to style your hair in the bathroom. If this is the case and your dorm bathroom has plug sockets, a heated hair tool holder could be a great item for you. This particular model has a hook on the back so you can keep your hair tools tucked out of other people's way and it keeps heated tools cool when stored inside, making it easy for you to quickly pack up and go when you're done.
11. Check When The Peak Times Are
This YouTuber discusses how to survive communal bathrooms and there's an array of super helpful information in this video. However, my favorite tip she suggests is discovering when the peak times are that people use the dorm bathroom – you don't want to be late for class! So figure out when the bathroom is the busiest and go before or after the peak times.
Hopefully these handy hacks will help make your trips to the dorm bathroom way more manageable, so you can get in and out efficiently, because you'll want to spend as little time in your dorm bathroom as humanly possible!
Images: Courtesy Brands (8); Beacon Pictures (1)
