Give a Dorm Deck to your favorite college student to help them make the most of dorm room living. Created by Hack Decks™ for first time college students.

Dorm Decks are a great gift for students going off to college for the first time. Give one as a going away present. Or send a Dorm Deck off to your favorite college undergrad with a care package of cookies and snacks. However you choose, sending a Dorm Deck helps college students transition to college life and dorm room living.

Designed to help students establish a successful college and dorm room routine, this simple motivational card deck smooths the transition from the oversight of parents to the personal responsibilities of college life. Think of this deck like medicine for growing pains. Dorm Decks keep students on track and one step ahead of the “to do’s” coming at them as they embark on their college journey. Dorm Decks teach tips and tricks that improve college routines and make dorm life living easier. They simultaneously make the most of newfound college independence by stressing healthy habits. Each card is a little motivational life hack for dorm living. 

For College Students: 

Yes, you are moving out on your own. And, like most people your age, you’re ready for the freedom. Freedom and autonomy are thrilling. Yet, there are a lot of new responsibilities that go along with dorm life and independent living. Of course, you made the Target or Dormify run and set your life up just the way you want it. You purchased the laundry hamper and systems designed to take the anxiety out of the laundry and “doing for yourself” process. While prepping for that first year, though, you most likely didn't receive a lot of mental health and how-to instruction. Things you never had to think about when you lived with your parents now sit squarely on your to-do list. Use Dorm Deck to help you establish systems that take chores and tasks from feeling random and disorganized to organized and systematic.

The getting adjusted part of college and dorm room living is as nerve wracking as it is exciting. College is a rite of passage and getting it “right” is just like learning a new language. It’s all about learning new life skills you'll need not only in your dorm room and college life, but for life going forward after college. For example, something as simple as “Make your Bed” as a prompt card and routine eventually helps improve your long-term success. Come to find out, making your bed is a trait that many successful people say starts their day out right. Google it if you don’t believe us.

Setting Expectations About Dorm Life During The First Year of College

Everyone has the expectation that dorm room living will be fun times in a comfortable room, where your best friend is your roommate, and everyone on your floor will be the greatest people you’ve ever met, right? And there will be little to conflict with dorm room and apartment mates during your entire four years. Sounds ideal.

Looking at college from a high school perspective, living independently in a dorm room with no parental supervision sounds fantastic and carefree. Parties and late-night study sessions round out that ideal picture of college. If your grades stay up, you think, you can do whatever you want.

Learning About Yourself and Others During College Years

But there's more to dorm life than that. Dorm life is where your ideas about the world will be challenged. You’ll meet new people who have lots in common with you, and people who have nothing in common with you at all. It’s where you’ll find that the person you thought you had the least in common with is the person who has the most valuable lessons to teach you. You’ll learn a lot about yourself. So much so that it may be hard to recognize yourself when graduation day finally arrives. 

New versions of yourself will set the foundation for the person you'll become for the rest of your life. That’s why it’s so important to go into your college years with all the tips and tricks you'll need. Establishing good habits that last the rest of your life are also part of college growth. Dorm Decks ground you in real life and keep you moving forward and motivated to develop healthy behavior patterns. This is especially important when college life feels overwhelming and your transition from teenager to adult is in flux. The evolution of who you are will be beautiful. Though, full disclosure, it may not always be pretty. 

After those four years, you’ll look back at dorm room memories with great fondness. Whether you’re the quiet type or a complete extrovert, your dorm room will be forever engrained in your heart. And when you visit your college years later, your dorm will be the first place you’ll want to visit. Because aside from wherever your family is, it’s going to be one of the first settings that you ever called home as an independent adult.

Dorm Deck Eases the Transition to Dorm Room Living and Adulthood

Dorm Deck from life Hack Decks™ is designed to ease the transition into adulthood as you embark on the greatest, yet most challenging growth journey of your life. College life is full of exploration and autonomy. That said, sometimes you need a little reminder to take care of yourself and the space you call home while you’re there.

With our Dorm Deck from life Hack Decks™, you’ll be able to find some creative ideas to settle into life, establish healthy routines, and make your dorm room feel like home. In addition, by the time you’ve worked through the entire deck, you’ll know more about the city in which you live. This is done through prompts like: “Take a friend to play tourist for a day.”

In addition, we will show you other ways to “hack” aspects of college life, like where to meet people with common interests. We'll also remind you to stock your room with snacks that are good for you. Lastly, there are a few cards to make you that much more successful. These include “Look into tutoring resources offered by your college,” or “Review due dates and add them to your calendar. Set a reminder for one week before assignments are due.” And especially, “Save important work somewhere you can get to it if your laptop is stolen or broken.” This one can be a lifesaver. Trust us on that! We've seen it happen.

How to Use Dorm Decks

To use Dorm Decks, simply shuffle and pull a card. Complete the prompt and then put it at the back of the pile. We recommend working through 3-4 cards per week, especially at the beginning of the school year to get you on track. Gift a deck to a friend, and you can do the prompts in tandem. Whether you are going to the same college, or are across the country from one another, the deck will keep friends connected and heading forward together.

For Parents (or Gift Giver):

Want to give your first-time student a little advice without receiving the eye roll that goes along with unsolicited input from family and friends?

These cards make a wonderful gift for students going off to college for the first time. Or for those who haven’t lived in a dorm room or on their own. Knowing what needs to be done and when to do it takes the stress out of living an independent, functional life that is full of freedom and responsibility. And the cards free brain space for something else, like studying. Reduce your college student's decision fatigue and anxiety by giving them a sense of personal responsibility with a Dorm Deck before they leave for college and start dorm room life.

Dorm Decks make a great graduation gift to send along to school or as an “I’m thinking about you” to include in a college care package from home.

And, of course, one of the 52 prompts is “Don’t forget to call your parents. They miss you.” Reason enough to send one!

Tag us @lifehackdecks and have a great year!

Look for our other life Hack Decks™ including Date Deck®, Declutter Deck®, New Mama Deck, and Random Acts of Kindness Deck.

Our life Hack Decks™ are designed with one simple mission in mind: Delegate to the Deck® to reduce stress while improving your quality of life!