The International Student Blog

If you have been recently accepted to the college or university of your choice- congratulations! Typically, after international students get accepted into an institution, the next step in the long list of things to do: confirm living arrangements. Along with finding out the details on your dorm room and future roommate is figuring out what to bring to college.  This can be especially challenging as an international student trying to plan what to bring overseas! Well do not worry, there are plenty of thorough lists out there that can help a student determine what to bring and what not to bring.

Necessities

If you are living in a dorm room, more than likely your school will provide a bed. What they will not provide is pillows, bed sheets and a comforter. Students will also want their own computer- typically a printer is not needed since there are numerous printing labs throughout every college campus. If you are living in a dorm room that does not have a refrigerator, you may want to rent your own small fridge from the student housing association. Other important items that you will want to have, but can purchase once you arrive on campus include school supplies like pencils, pens, a calculator, textbooks, notebooks and folders.

Good Ideas

A great investment is a laundry bag. While it might seem economical to simply throw your dirty laundry in the corner and stuff it into your backpack once it becomes a large enough pile- keep in mind that your backpack will begin to smell just like your dirty laundry. While it saves you some money, it might not be the best option when it comes to making new friends.  Another item that students overlook are shower slippers. What are shower slippers? Shower slippers are worn in the shower to keep from getting your feet dirty. If you live in a dorm with a communal bathroom, this will especially come in handy. Wearing shower slippers helps to prevent the spread of any foot ailments, thus keeping potential medical bills low. Air fresheners are also a good idea to make sure your room smells clean at all times. Here are few other items you might want to consider when making a list of what to bring to college:

• Eating Utensils
• TV
• First Aid Kit
• Extension Cords
• Planner/Calendar
• Backpack
• Cleaning Supplies

Keep in mind that you will be limited on how much you can bring on your flight and many items that you will need can be rented from the front desk of your dorm or purchased after you arrive. Contact your dorm before your journey abroad and find out what items they do have readily available for rent so you can narrow down your list and save room in your bag.

If you are still looking for a college to attend- find a school in the US and start applying before the new semester!

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 20th, 2013 at 8:38 am and is filed under International Student, Study Abroad, Study in the USA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Written by Bryanna Davis

Bryanna joined EIC in 2011 after returning to the United States from teaching English in China. Her interest in international education, sparked initially by her own study abroad experience in Wales, led her to the company. Bryanna is originally from Missouri and is a graduate from the University of Central Missouri.

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