Back-to-school supply shopping is exciting when you're a kid. You get to buy colorful notebooks, pencils, smelly markers, and fun-shaped erasures. But back-to-school shopping for your dorm room is whole other level of fun, and not just because you're finally living on your own (although that's definitely part of it). You get to buy all the tech devices you've always dreamed of—or at least your parents do.
Here are some essential dorm room tech devices you could probably live without, but why would you want to?
Bed risers are an important part of dorm life, because no space should be wasted—even under the bed. With this particular set of bed lifters, you'll add more plugs to your living space.
Choose from six different colors to wake you up in the morning (or from a nap). Or you can choose to dim the light completely for some extra snoozing. This alarm clock can charge your phone, as well as connect to Bluetooth.
Buy it here for $50.
Having a fully charged phone at all times is important, because in college, there are always things to do and places to go. SCOSCHE's MagicMount PowerBank will keep your phone charged on the go or in your dorm up to full charges. You just have to remember to keep the mount charged.
Whether you're out for a run and want to check your heart rate, track your physical activity all day every day, or use the GPS feature to make sure your roommate always knows where you are, the Polar M200 running watch has it all.
Buy it here for $150.
You already know that Alexa can make life easier. Connect your dorm room so you never have to get up to turn off the lights. Plus, it can serve as a pretty decent speaker.
iDevice's Dimmer Switch transforms any traditional light switch into a connected dimmer switch, allowing you to control the lights and set the mood in your room using your iOS or Android device, along with the iDevice app.
Buy it here for $80.
No need to pay for cable. All you need is the Roku Express to turn any TV into a smart TV. The device offers HD streaming from Netflix, Hulu, Sling, and Google Play. You'll just need accounts with the streaming companies.
College is all about blocking out sound from other students so you can concentrate on your work. The Phiaton BT 390 bluetooth headphones have excellent sound for both listening to music and taking calls. They have a folding design, which is ideal for throwing them in your bag when you're on the go.
Buy them here for $79 in black or white.
Similar to Apple's Magic Keyboard, but a little less expensive, Satechi's wireless keyboard is light, portable, and connects to up to four Bluetooth-enabled device. Switch between devices with just the press of a button.
Buy it here for $75.
Let's face it, dorm rooms are small. So, chances are, you'll be doing a lot of work in bed. Make sure your laptop doesn't overheat with Satechi's aluminum laptop stand. Available in silver, gold, rose gold, matte black, and space gray.