1.) Villanova T-Shirt
This may seem like a no-brainer but I actually arrived to Villanova without owning a single piece of VU apparel. I figured I would grab a shirt at the school store upon arrival. However, the line at the bookstore has about a half-hour minimum waiting time for the first few days back to school. So, to save yourself some time and the chance of your clothing pick being sold out, order online! You’ll find that you will want to wear your Villanova t-shirts for numerous sporting events on Campus. If you are looking for a budget-friendly alternative, keep your eyes on the Villanova newsletter where they often reveal opportunities to win free shirts at events around campus.
2.) Comfortable Shoes
I was naïve to the amount of walking that is involved for a new college student. Living on South means you have an additional 5 to 10 minute walk to get anywhere on Campus. On average, Villanovan’s walk 3-5+ miles a day. My feet were blistered and bloodied after thinking I could take on that amount of mileage in my Jack Rogers. Save yourself the pain and Band-Aids and invest in a pair of comfortable shoes. Many girls go for Rainbow flip-flops and Nike sneakers that they pair with workout clothes for a casual class look. For those fashion maven’s out there, try to find sandals with padding. UGG makes some decent looking sandals that excel in comfort and Jack Rogers just released new padded sandals.
3.)A Backpack
After lugging around two textbooks, notebooks, folders, a laptop and numerous other bobbles in my longchamp for weeks on end, my shoulders were rubbed raw and my back was desperate for a break. I figured I wouldn’t be carrying the same load between classes that I had been in high school, so I left my backpack at home. Within a few weeks, I was calling my mom to ship it back to me. Save yourself a trip to the post office and bring your backpack to school. Even if you only use it on the days you have more things to carry, you will be thanking yourself for its supportive comfort.
4.) A Pair of Heels
Surprisingly, almost every club at Villanova has a formal at least once during the semester. Even the Outdoors club had a formal last year. For non club activities, there are formal dinners for learning communities, business events, parties and ROTC balls that you may find yourself invited to and you’ll want to be prepared for these events with a good pair of pumps. I suggest bringing something classic such as a nude or black pair so that they can go with virtually everything.
5.) Summer Clothes
Going to school my freshman year I focused my back to school shopping on jeans, sweaters, long-sleeves and boots. Back home, the temperatures started to drop near the end of September. However, it stays hot at Villanova well into October. So much so that I needed to make an emergency-shopping trip just to purchase more tank tops and shorts because I didn’t bring enough. Load up on the summer clothes when you come to school and switch out for your fall ones during October break. You will not only beat the heat but also save space in your closet.