By Masha Komissarova
You finally had your spring break! You came home and saw all your old clothes and stuff that you completely forgot about. You immediately take out a suitcase and say “I’ll definitely need that this semester!”
Stop! Don’t over pack; your roommate and your closet won’t thank you for it. I’ll tell you what I brought back to my dorm and what you should bring too.
First things first! Food. Trust me, I know you don’t think it’s important now but when those exams and papers are due, you’re running from class to the gym, and when you finally get home, the last thing you want is to go out to eat. So prepare in advance. If I learned anything in my first semester living in a dorm is that you really don’t need clothes, but you absolutely need food. Accommodate with the weather; if your college is on the colder side (Boston, for example, is extremely windy so I bring a lot of tea and hot chocolate). If you’re in California, think about bringing ice trays.
You can obviously buy all the food when you get to your campus, but I prefer to have everything ready so the transition of going back to work is easier. It’s hard enough your break is over.
Here’s the food that I thought was the most important: For breakfast food, I bought three packs of cereal, cream cheese, jams and bagels, tea/coffee, hot chocolate. Lunch and dinner consisted of whole wheat pasta, two packs of rice, beans, and corn. I also bought salad leaves, celery, and fruit. Also, think about bringing cleaning supplies. I bought some. For clothes, I tried to keep it minimal: one skirt and one dress (because it is spring after all), three sweaters, two pairs of leggings, one pair of sweatpants and jeans, and of course, three pairs of shoes.
I recommend wearing one of the things you were planning to pack so you won’t bring the clothes that are on you too. The semester will be over before you know it and it will be that time of the year to pack again. You don’t want to be traveling with four very heavy suitcases, do you?
Photo from: College Confidential
This is a timely process because unless you’re a natural minimalist, you will be inclined to take everything you see with you. I even had to re-pack and start all over again when I saw that my suitcase was full (only with clothes) and I hadn’t even begun to pack the food. Focus on the food part rather than the clothes. Not only will space be empty in your suitcase (because you’ll eat all the food) but it will keep you energized and focused on your studies.
Happy packing, and remember, you will need less than you think!
Cover photo from Zola
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