Towels. For girls, I HIGHLY reccommend you get those towels with elastic and velcro at the top that wrap around like a tube dress. They make it so much easier.
Shower sandals.
An over-the-door metal towel rack. Guys never have a place to dry their towels so they always smell mildewy and damp. Which in turn makes your whole room smell.
Lysol anti-bacterial wipes. SOMEONE is going to be sick in your dorm ALL THE TIME. These are really good to have on hand to wipe down your computer, door knobs, whatever.
I wouldn't worry too much about utensils. You'll end up throwing away all of your plates and forks once a month anyway, due to food being crusted on them. I say you steal them from the dining hall.
You'll probably start hanging EVERYTHING. Get one of those sweater holders (vertically stacked cubbies made out of canvas usually) for your closet and either keep sweatshirts or jeans in them.Or shirts. Super space saving.
When I came to school, I flew from California. I brought 2 suitcases with clothes, some pictures and some stuff I couldn't live without. And my skis. Everything else, I bought there or totally forgot about. I had never heard of a hot pot, crock pot, hot plate or George Foreman until college. If I lived without them for 18 years, I can live without them forever, you know?
But my main advice is to get involved on campus right away. Find out what outdoor trips your recreation program offers. Get involved with student groups. I guarantee your campus has everything from service groups to ultimate frisbee. Find your ski club asap!!!!!
I think you should consider rushing because even if you choose not to go Greek, you'll have a reason why and will have made some friends along the way. I really value my experience within the Greek system because A. its really fun and B. its really taught me a lot about tradition, ritual, respect, integrity, and loyalty. I was given a Vice President position my first year in the house and that taught me so so so much about workloads, networking, Public Relations, Philanthropy, et cetera. Its a great way to get involved and to expand your skill set.
CLIFF NOTES: My advice: get involved so you're not bored (and your resume starts building). Keep your dorm room door open if you can so people can poke their heads in and say hey. Don't but the all-inclusive-I-eat-913280982302397-Calories-a-day meal plan; you'll want to eat off campus too. The Freshman 15 is just a myth; learn how to eat right and you'll be fine. Go to the gym to work out and meet people. Don't stick with just one group of friends. Wikipedia is not a legit academic source; use it but don't cite it. Keep an open mind to all people, courses, and experiences. Go to games. Figure out exactly how many 40s you can drink during the SuperBowl. Participate in school traditions (homecoming, Forester's Ball, MaggotFest...).
College is the first time you'll be able to choose what classes you want to take and really do what's interesting to you. Don't let that stick to the classroom. Find things you're interested in and follow them. If you want to learn to kayak, figure out a way to do it. College is all about having fun and getting an education. "Never let schooling interfere with your education."-Mark Twain.
HAVE FUN!