Gee, thanks Nettdaddy, I have noticed that the inside of my elbows seem to be a little tense, judging by the photos that just looks like the perfect tool to work out those kinks.
I have a Gerber Tread that I love. But I kind of hate bit-kits, the one that goes missing is always the one you need. And in a dorm, people will borrow that shit. I'd rather loan out one $3 screw driver than a $100 multi tool.
All I can say is I didn't have 5% of the shit listed in this thread, and somehow I've made it through three years of college and counting. I wouldn't sweat it too much.
Earplugs, a good alarm clock you can set when you're blacked out or tripping balls at 3 am, a good lamp for reading, and a knowledge of the CAs or whatever they're called is priceless too.
I think it's better to bring less stuff when you are first starting out. I brought boatloads of crap with me, including most of what people have recommended in this thread, and didn't use a lot of it. It just made my small dorm room even more crowded, especially since my roommate brought most of the same shit. I think the best thing to give to a new freshman is a gift card to Target or WalMart so they can buy stuff as they need it. (Or blow it all on frozen pizzas that you don't have a way to cook when you go shopping while high)
I forgot to mention it, but a baseball cap. Not so much for girls, but if you're a guy and you wake up hungover, throw on that baby to disguise just-woke-up hair and you're on your way to class. Showering not required Also, unless you're getting regular haircuts in college (HAH), a hat is good for everyday wear when your hair reaches that awkward middle stage between short and grown out.
My Freshman Checklist? Asian (check) Black (check) Indian (not so much) Southern Belle (check) Hispanic (check)
Directions to the nearest "Rho Gamma" or other sorority recruitment person. Once she is in the Greek system, most of those other little problems will take care of themselves via older sisters helping her out. ...and telling her how to dress, who to hang out with, where to party, which fraternity guys to fuck (me), and so on.