Fall semester and move-in is coming up - what to pack?!

 Hey guys, Silje here! 

Happy summer! I hope everyone is enjoying their time and unwinding before fall semester starts in September. Packing and moving away from home to begin college is always stressful - even more so when you're moving internationally! I figured I should let you in on some tips and tricks on what to bring and not to bring when moving to Washington state from abroad! 

Clothes and necessities

Tacoma has a lot of different weather to offer, which can make it overwhelming to pack. Summers can get really hot and winters can get really rainy - sometimes it snows! You will need to bring clothes for all types of weather, but I would recommend to not overpack for all types of weather! For example, you should bring a jacket for cold weather, but due to the limited space in a suitcase, I would recommend to only bring your favorite one. Pack light summer clothing, jeans/leggings, and sweaters, as well as a few pairs of shoes. PLU students dress casually on campus and for classes, so it is not necessary to bring all your fancy attire (although it is nice to bring a couple nice outfits for special occasions). 

You will also need to bring your necessities like glasses/contacts, all prescribed medications and toiletries. Stuff like shampoo and conditioner you might want to pack in travel bottles and repurchase when you arrive in Washington since full size bottles can take up both space and a lot of suitcase weight! 

Do not pack towels and bed linens. For the first few nights, we will lend you a set of all you need for the bed, plus a towel and a washcloth. This allows you time to go to a store and find linens and towels that you would like to purchase - no need to use suitcase space on that! 

Something to help with home-sickness

Home sickness do occur for most students, and it is nice to have something from home that you believe will make you feel better! For some people, it might be a certain candy from home, for others it's a stuffed animal. Personally, I brought a picture frame of me and my friends that I received from them on my going-away party. It is something personal and homey to add to your new dorm/room, and it will make you feel like you have a part of home with you. 

I tried to pack my dog to help with home sickness - it didn't work unfortunately. 

School-necessities 

There's a few do's and don'ts on this one. If you have a computer or tablet, I would recommend bringing it with you since it will make studying and taking notes in class a lot easier. However, do not bring other necessities like notebooks, pens, books and so on - all of this is available to purchase for a fair price after you have arrived in the US. I heard that some people like to bring their old notebooks that they believe have relevant notes for some of your classes, for example old math notes. If that is the case I would recommend taking pictures of your notes and uploading it to your computer/tablet/phone. Books for your classes can be bought or borrowed at the PLU bookstore, or through Amazon. 

Room decor 

Unless it is something small that will help with home sickness, I would not recommend bringing room decor for your dorm/room. We will take you shopping for the first days of orientation so that you can purchase stuff like decor, linens, towels, school supplies and everything in between. If it is something fairly small like a blanket you really want to bring, then go for it! Just keep in mind that you will probably want to bring it back home as well after you have graduated. 

Important documents

If you forget to pack a sweater, you can purchase a new one - please do not forget to pack the most important thing; immigration documents. This includes your passport with your US Visa and your I-20 or DS-2019. Keep these with you in your hand luggage - you will need to show them when arriving at border control in the US, where you will not have access to your suitcase yet. 

Packing to move abroad is very overwhelming, and you need to pack a lot less than someone who is starting college in their home country. PLU residential life has made a really great list of what is smart to pack with you when moving into the dorms - international students can treat this list sort of as a shopping list after you have arrived in the US. Keep a screenshot on your phone during shopping on orientation, so that you remember the necessities! The list can be found here. Me and the rest of the ISS team will also be there with you help you out with shopping. 

I look forward to seeing you guys on campus this fall! 

-- Silje