What to Bring – Guide to Campus Living

As Hollins is a primarily residential campus, the office of Housing and Residence Life seeks to provide students with the support and tools they need to build a welcoming community that honors diversity and makes Hollins feel like home. Whether you’re a new first-year student, a transfer student, or a returning student, this document is created to serve as a helpful guide to residential students and their families on what to expect and how to prepare for on-campus living at our historic campus.

More detailed information on all policies mentioned here can be found in the Student Handbook located on my.hollins. For questions, please email Housing and Residence Life at hrl@hollins.edu.

Guides for Residential Spaces

• Your Room

  

  All residential rooms come with a bed frame, mattress, desk, chair, closet, dresser (free-standing or built-in), and a mirror. Below are sample layouts for a double room in Tinker Hall and Randolph Hall, along with things to keep in mind about the spaces.

  Room Diagrams for Planning

  Items to Consider Bringing

  • Comforter or Quilt
  • Lamp
  • Fan
  • Bed sheets (Twin for Tinker and
  • Main, Twin XL for Randolph, and
  • Others)
  • Pillows and pillowcases
  • Blanket
  • Surge protectors
  • Clothes (include items that work in layers)

  Cooling Items

  As a historic campus, some residence halls do not have air conditioning in individual rooms. To beat the heat, HRL recommends that residents residing in Randolph, West, Main, and East Hall consider purchasing the following items:

  • mattress toppers with cooling technology
  • Chill pillows and cooling sheets
  • box fans or pedestal fans
  • “cube” style air cooler (Arctos, Evapolar,
  • Artic Air) under 3 Amps

  Decorating

  We encourage residents to decorate their room to feel more at home in the space. Please remember:

  • nothing can hang from the ceilings or sprinkler pipes.
  • Items hung on walls must be secured with command strips/hooks or another removable adhesive that does not pierce the wall (no nails, hooks, or tacks).
  • Walls cannot be covered with wallpaper
  • All present furniture must remain in the room.

   

• Community Kitchens

  

  Tinker Hall has four kitchens: two on the first floor and one on alternating wings of the second and third floor. Randolph Hall kitchen is located on the second floor of the building beside the large common room. West Hall shares one kitchen on the first floor of the building. All community kitchens feature a refrigerator, oven, sink, microwave, counterspace, and cabinets.

  Items to Consider Bringing

  • Coffee makers*
  • Electric kettle*
  • Plates
  • Bowls
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Cups
  • Silverware
  • Cooking utensils
  • Pots/Pans
  • Food/ingredients

  *must be labeled with resident’s name, stored in kitchen at all times

  Kitchen Containers

  With limited space, residents have to be considerate of others when purchasing items and storing them! We ask that you keep dry good and items that do not need to specifically be stored in the kitchen an organized space in your room, like a kitchen box. You can include all of your kitchen-related items and cleaning supplies into this box for easy access. This helps keep the kitchens organized and ensures there is ample space for everyone to use!

  Using the Communal Kitchen

  After using the communal spaces, residents are expected to clean up after themselves and any mess they may have made. The Custodial staff collect the trash from the provided trashcan daily, and routinely sweep and mop the floors, but all other upkeep for the kitchen is dependent on the residents who use it. Below are reminders to help residents maintain the space.

  After each time using the communal kitchen, remember to:

  1. Wipe down surfaces you may have used like the counters, the stove top, and the microwave
  2. Remove food waste from the sink and throw it away in provided trashcan
  3. Within 1 hour of using the kitchen: thoroughly wash, rinse, dry and appropriately store your items (meaning in your room, in the kitchen cabinet, in your box on the shelf)
  4. Thoroughly rinse out the sponge or cloth and leave it to air dry in the available rack
  5. Collect your clean items and store them appropriately within

  Each kitchen has a small cardboard box labeled with “Dirty Abandoned Dishes.” Any dirty items left in the sink for more than 1 hour will be moved to this box. HRL staff members and Facilities work together to monitor the space. Every few weeks, an email notice will go out to the floor or building instructing residents to collect, clean, and appropriately store their items by a certain date. After this date, any remaining items will be disposed of by HRL. This is done to maintain a clean environment for all residents.

• Community Bathroom

  

  Communal bathrooms exist on each hall across campus. All community bathrooms feature single stall toilets, showers or bathtubs, and a row of mirrors and sinks.

  Items to Consider Bringing

  • Towels
  • Robe
  • Shower shoes (rubber sandals
  • with good tread)
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body wash/soap
  • Any other usual body-care items

  Shower Caddy

  Each shower stall and sink area features a bench or shelf for residents to use. However, it is very common for residents to create a shower caddy to carry back and forth between their room and the communal bathroom. You may also consider buying a mat or extra towel to set your shower caddy on while it dries. Having a shower caddy allows for more space in the communal bathroom and ensure residents keep up with their belongings!

  Using the Communal Bathroom

  Communal bathrooms are maintained Monday to Friday by custodial staff. After using the communal spaces, residents are always expected to clean up after themselves and any mess they may have made. Below are some reminders to help residents maintain the space.

  • Collect hair from any drains in the shower or sink
  • Pick up toilet paper or paper towels and dispose of them in the trash can
  • Don’t use too much toilet paper to prevent a clog
  • Flushing the toilet after each use (or more than once– we have old pipes!)

  Residents may not dispose of personal trash (any non-bathroom related trash) in the bathroom trash cans. Food waste cannot be disposed of in the bathroom trash cans or down the sinks. Menstrual products should be disposed of in the trash can or the sanitary can in each stall. Do not flush tampons, pads, or any other menstrual products down the toilet. Flushable wipes should not be flushed down the toilet and should instead be disposed of in the trash cans.

  Any residents using hair dye are responsible for cleaning the shower, shower curtain, and/or sink afterwards to prevent staining.

  Should you experience an illness that causes a mess in the bathroom after-hours or on weekends, please call the RA on duty or the Security office’s non-emergency number.

• Community Laundry

  

  All community laundry rooms feature washers, dryers, a sink, and a folding table. Laundry rooms are located on two wings of each floor of Tinker Hall. Randolph’s laundry room is located on the first floor of the building. West Hall residents use the West laundry room located in a separate building behind West.

  Items to Consider Bringing

  • Detergent
  • Fabric softener
  • Dryer sheets
  • Lint roller
  • Laundry basket or bag
  • Stain remover
  • Laundry steamer*

  must be labeled with resident’s name, stored in the laundry room at all times

  Fur Zappers

  In a community laundry, residents with ESA or service animals should take an extra step to ensure that they clean up after themselves and their animals. Consider purchasing a fur-zapper! Fur-zappers are reusable item that collects the pet hair from your laundry. Simply include one (or two) in the dry cycle with your laundry. Collect the hair off of the tool and dispose of the hair in the trashcan. This simple step can help cut down on extra hair on your clothes and any that may be left in the machines.

  Using the Communal Laundry

  Communal Laundry rooms are maintained by Custodial staff Monday to Friday. After using the communal spaces, in whatever capacity, residents are always expected to clean up after themselves and any mess they may have made. Below are some tips to help you successfully utilize the community laundry.

  Washing cycles can last anywhere from 29 to 40 minutes, depending on the cycle type. Dryer cycles last up to 60 minutes. Plan to set a timer on your phone to collect your belongings. If you have not collected your items within 15 minutes of the end of the cycle for either machine, items can be removed from the machines and placed on the nearby table so that others can use the machines. It’s good practice to pick a week day to routinely do your laundry, that way you aren’t rushed and everyone has a chance to use the machines.

  • only load the machines three-fourths of the way full
  • if washing, only use half a cap’s worth of detergent or one pod
  • set a timer on your phone and collect your laundry within 15 minutes after the cycle
  • double check the machines to make sure you have collected all of your belongings
  • clear the lint trap after each dry cycle and throw it away in the nearby trash can

  Depending on what you are washing, and whether you had to use bleach, it may be best practice to start another wash cycle with only detergent and water.

  Should the washer overflow, stop the machine by opening the lid, attempt to clean up the water and then contact the RA on your hall so that a work order can be put in and an out of order sign can be posted if needed. Lost and found boxes are placed in the floor of each laundry room. If you find you are missing a sock, check the lost and found boxes on your floor first!

• Trash Rooms

  

  Trash rooms are located on each hall of Tinker House and on the first floor of West Hall. These rooms are labeled “Trash Rooms” and are open 24/7. Residents can dispose of their personal trash in this room. This trash is then collected throughout the week by the Custodial staff.

  Large trashcans are placed outside of Randolph Hall on the back patio for residents to deposit their personal trash in. Remember to keep your Hollins ID with you to scan yourself back into the building!

  Cat litter and gravel from fish tanks cannot be thrown away in the trash rooms. Plan to personally take this type of trash to the dumpster behind Tinker, behind West, or outside of Randolph.

  Please remember to pour out liquids in kitchen or bathroom before throwing the container away.

• Recycling

  

  All cardboard boxes should be broken down and taken to the Recycling center located at the loading dock behind Botetourt Hall. All residence halls are expected to use this area for cardboard recycling.

  Recycling cans are located near the common rooms on every floor of Tinker Hall. Recycling cans are located near the trash cans on the back patio of Randolph.

• Food delivery

  

  All food deliveries should be routed to 8132 Forest of Arden Lane.

  Food and grocery deliveries should never be delivered directly to individual residence halls as this poses a safety concern. Should residents be found to habitually have food delivered to their individual residence hall, they will be referred through the student conduct system.

  All mail/package orders should be processed through the Mail Room and their usual policy.

• Work Orders

  

  If there is an issue in a resident’s room, residents are required to submit a work order. By doing so, residents are providing Facilities with permission to enter the space. You may submit a work order for any maintenance issues on my.hollins. Once in the system, the submittal pw is “hollins”.

  Should there be an issue in a communal space, like broken furniture in a common room or a leaking pipe in the bathroom, contact the RA on your hall and they will submit a work order for the issue.

• Clothing & Decoration Considerations

  

  Clothing Considerations

  Here are some items to consider in addition to the clothes you’re planning to bring for everyday wear.

  • Sweaters
  • Cold-weather coat
  • Waterproof footwear
  • Bathing suit
  • Athletic shoes
  • At least one professional outfit. You never know when you’ll get invited to the president’s house for dinner, or maybe you’ll get to interview for an exciting internship.

  Decoration Considerations

  You do not have to break the bank to make a space your own! Below are some local stores that provide affordable options for decorating your room.

  • Marshalls
  • Five Below
  • Salvation Army
  • Walmart
  • Target
  • Goodwill
  • TJ Maxx
  • Gabe’s

  Sharing the Space

  Decorating a room can also be a great opportunity to collaborate with your roommate and get to know one another before move-in. Plan a time to talk with your roommate about items that can be shared like a minifridge, a rug, a fan, a TV, or a lamp. Establishing communication regarding shared items can help you plan for what you really need to bring. Once on campus, roommates fill out an agreement and specify what is shared in the room and what is not.

  Starting the Conversation

  Before talking with your roommate, think about the aspects of your current space/routine that you enjoy. Are there certain routines that you want to keep during college or change? What type of items are you considering bringing? What is your vision for the room to look like? On campus, RAs can support you as you find compromise with your roommate. Mediated conversations with your RA can ensure that both you and your roommate feel comfortable in the space.

  Dollar Tree Haul

  Tons of items can be found at Dollar Tree for those who want to start small (or not spend a fortune on supplies!). Below is a list of items that you may want to consider:

  • paper towels
  • garbage bags
  • cleaning/hand towels
  • gloves
  • disinfectant spray
  • dish soap
  • dish/cleaning sponges
  • solid gel air fresheners
  • baking soda
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • over the counter medicines
  • bag clips
  • food/storage containers
  • hand soap
  • hair accessories
  • combs/pick/brushes
  • cups/plates/utensils
  • cotton swabs
  • body wash/soap
  • shampoo/conditioner
  • lotion
  • tampons, pads
  • sewing kit
  • tissue paper
  • laundry basket

   

• Tips and Tricks from the Pros!

  

  Get to Know your Resident Assistants (RA)

  Resident Assistants (RA) are undergraduate students who work with HRL Professional Staff. RAs provide events and programming, connect residents with resources, respond to issues or provide mediation, and help residents create the community they want to live in. RAs hold weekly open-door hours where they are available to answer questions or just chat. RAs complete periodical check-ins with all of their residents to ensure you are feeling supported and doing well. RAs serve on a rotating nightly duty and can help in a number of situations — including if you are locked out of your room. RAs are literally here for you!

  Thoroughly Fill Out Your Roommate Agreement!

  RAs will supply every set of roommates with a roommate agreement. Please take time to talk through each component of the agreement with your roommate to establish expectations. Maintain an open mind, be honest, but also being willing to compromise! For any issues that pop up, the RA and HRL will first refer to your Roommate Agreement!

  Get Out There!

  College is an exciting time in everyone’s life. It can also be a bit nervewracking. Know that everyone on campus is happy to have you here and to learn about you. Hollins is an active place with multiple events being help throughout the year. Take a leap and attend your RA’s event, a club meeting, Senate on Tuesdays, or a theatre production. Be sure to always check your email for What’s Happening at Hollins sent out three times a week, which features all of the exciting things happening in and around Hollins. Additionally, our beautiful campus is a great place to unplug and take a break.

  Get to Know Roanoke

  Roanoke Valley is a beautiful place to live. Downtown Roanoke is a great place to enjoy the weekend with new friends. Links to local guides are available on the Roanoke community page. Roanoke has many cultural communities. Cultural festivals and celebrations are frequently held downtown and are free to the public. This, along with tons of coffee shops, bookstores, museums, art galleries, and hiking trails means that there is something for everyone.

On-Campus Important Contacts

RA on Duty

RAs hold duty on a rotating basis overnight each night from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. during the academic year. RA on Duty can be contacted if you are locked out of your building/room, have an urgent question, or have a safety concern. The RA on Duty for Area 1 (Tinker and Randolph) can be reached at (540) 556-5747. The RA on Duty for Area 2 (Main, East, Village Apartment, and Hill Houses) can be reached at (540) 400-1736.