Packing for Your Room

Pack realistically!

Your room in the Residence Hall will probably be smaller than your room at home, and you will most likely be sharing your room with a roommate. It is a good idea to get in contact with your new roommate before you arrive at NEC to talk about what you would like to bring to campus and whether or not you will share some items that you decide to bring, like a TV or MicroFridge. 

If you decided to leave something at home but find you need it after living in the Residence Hall for a little while, you can always have it mailed to you or purchase a new one nearby. 

Each student will have:

  • One twin extra-long bed with an adjustable bed frame
  • Adjustable shelf that can be attached to the bed frame
  • Two shelves attached to the desk
  • Desk and desk chair without arms
  • Dresser with two drawers
  • Wardrobe with rod for hanging items and shelf
  • Overhead lighting
  • Waste basket and recycling bin (one of each in each room)

Bring the items that you use most often, such as:

  • Hand sanitizer
  • Disinfecting wipes or spray
  • Washable face masks or face-coverings (max 1 dozen)
  • Personal thermometer
  • Alarm clock
  • Blankets, sheets, comforter, duvet 
  • Pillow
  • Broom (will not be provided by SHAC anymore)
  • Hangers for your wardrobe
  • Electronics such as a laptop, desktop or tablet
  • First Aid Kit including Band-Aids, over-the-counter medicine, etc.
  • Prescription medication prescribed to you
  • Laundry bag or hamper
  • Laundry detergent
  • School supplies such as notebooks, folders, pencils, pens, etc. 
  • Surge protected multi-plug adapters and surge protected extension cords

For the bathroom:

  • Personal toiletries
  • Shower caddy
  • Shower shoes such as flip flops
  • Towel, wash cloth, loofa, etc. 
  • Bathrobe

Other items to consider:

You should discuss all of the following items with your roommate. 

  • TV - There is a TV with cable in the lounge on each floor. Student rooms do not have access to cable. 
  • MicroFridge - If students would like a refrigerator or microwave in their room, they are only permitted to purchase or rent a MicroFridge. Other mini refrigerators and microwaves are not permitted. Each room can have one MicroFridge. Students in a double room must share a MicroFridge. Two shared refrigerators and a shared microwave are available for students to use in the kitchen on the fourth floor. 
  • Area rug
  • Lightweight vacuum or dustbuster (will not be provided through SHAC anymore)
  • Lamps (no halogen lamps or halogen light bulbs)
  • Damage-free hanging strips for posters, pictures, etc. such as Command strip, wall putty, etc. 

  • Residents are also only permitted to bring additional furniture into the Residence Hall that complies with Cal 117 and Cal 133 fire safety regulations, does not impede egress from the room/suite during emergencies, and do not impact the shared space of the other roommate(s) assigned to the room/suite. It is important to communicate with roommates before purchasing and bringing in additional furniture. Further, all assigned NEC-owned room furniture must remain within the room at all times. Moving NEC-owned furniture out of rooms to make space for additional furniture is not permitted. (More information about Cal 117 and Cal 133 regulations can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/CAL117and133.)

What to leave at home:

The following items are prohibited to ensure student safety in the Residence Hall or because of the extraordinary stress they cause to our facilities. Please refer to the Housing Contract for further details and the full listing of prohibited items.

  • Mini refrigerators - Students can purchase or rent a MicroFridge or used the shared items on the fourth floor. 
  • Microwaves - Students can purchase or rent a MicroFridge or used the shared items on the fourth floor. 
  • Any items that require a power source to heat up, including coffee makers, Keurigs, rice cookers, crock pots, electric tea kettles, George Foreman grills, irons, steamers, heating pads, electric blankets, etc. are prohibited. The only items that are an exception to this fire safety policy are hair dryers, curling irons, and hair straighteners. 
  • Extension cords that do not have an on/off switch
  • Halogen lamps or bulbs
  • Candles and incense
  • Unapproved upholstered furniture - Upholstered items must meet Boston Fire Safety codes for the Residence Hall and must be approved by Residence Life. Please send detailed information about the item and photos of the item (tags when possible) to the Director of Residence Life and Housing. Unapproved items will not be allowed in the Residence Hall. 
  • Mattresses and water beds
  • Pets 
  • Air conditioners and space heaters - Each room has an individual thermostat that residents are able to control within a specified range. 
  • Bed risers
  • Satellite dish
  • Weapons, including mace and pepper spray

If you are uncertain whether or not you should bring a particular item to campus with you, please do not hesitate to contact the Director of Residence Life and Housing.