<p>I’d shop before. The selection gets really picked over by the end of August.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>@bonjourhello Shop before and after your vacation. It’s always better to give yourself time to shop, and stores will offer different types of items. You can shop on vacation as well if you’re going somewhere touristy.</p>
<p>Sadly, I’m not going anywhere touristy, just Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and India (for a coming-of-age function). Thanks anyways! I’m probably going to do that- buy clothes and suitcases before vacation and maybe a few school supplies, but the remainder after vacation.</p>
<p>I would tell you all where I’m going this summer, but it would give away my town as I’m actually not going anywhere.</p>
<p>Correction: Camping on Cape Cod just like every year, man!</p>
<p>@omgjusttellme Most dress codes just prohibit you from wearing provocative or overly informal clothing. Don’t wear unisex T-Shirts and make sure your skirts are a respectable length. Most schools also prohibit their students from exposing midriffs (your stomach)-- just make sure you wear semiformal attire everyday to school (blouses, sweaters) and you’ll be just fine.</p>
<p>I will be attending SPS this fall. SPS has numerous formal sit-down dinners, so I’ll have to stock up on dresses and skirts:p I recommend you buy a few blouses, vnecks and cardigans for spring/autumn. It’s always nice to get jackets etc to add some layers to your outfit and they’re versatile (you can pair them with almost anything). Get a few nice skirts (you can wear them for formal and informal occasions), some dress pants, and maybe some dresses? You only need three or four pairs of dress-shoes because you can always wear them again and again.</p>
<p>You don’t need to use too much money-- as many have said before me, you can always borrow from your friends (with their consent, of course)</p>
<p>You should bring BATHROBES!!! Saved my life in CTY.</p>
<p>yeah, bathrobes are a must.</p>
<p>@bonjourhello Are you international?</p>
<p>@skieurope nope! I just have family in India, because my parents are from there.</p>
<p>@bonjourhello Dubai has huge, diverse malls (albeit expensive). If you’re going to New Delhi, there will be plenty of opportunities to shop as well.</p>
<p>@bonjourhello OK, because my packing advice for an intl student would be different from one who is getting to the school by car.</p>
<p>@skieurope I’m an int’l student. I’d love to here what your different packing advice would be, because there is no way I’m bringing a mattress on a 20 hour flight.</p>
<p>@skieurope Advice would be appreciated :)</p>
<p>@xoxo123 I’m an int’l student and i would recommend you purchase a mattress from Target or nearby stores after you land-- however, I’m fairly certain that BSes will provide you with some form of a mattress, so you don’t have to buy another one necessarily. Maybe you should arrive a few days before the 1st day of school so you have time to buy essentials etc (that’s what I’m going to do).</p>
<p>Thats what I thought too. Arriving a few days early and buying all the stuff for the room and the bedding on shops, or online. Maybe the same thing for heavy winter clothes and boots. </p>
<p>@boardingschoolx yes, Dubai has many (awesome!) shopping malls, but I doubt my parents would let me go back-to-school shopping on vacation 
As for New Delhi,nope, my grandparents and family live in Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad. </p>
<p>Maybe I should just go online shopping for my supplies and buy my clothes before vacation?</p>
<p>OK, for those who asked. This is based upon my experience as an int’l student. It is geared primarily to those going to school in New England (from the weather perspective), but most tidbits apply to all schools.</p>
<p>As many people have said, less is more in terms of clothes. You will not need one suitcase full of shoes.</p>
<p>This is a very extensive list of what to bring. You should edit as needed.</p>
<p><a href=“A to Z: What To Bring To College - College Life - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/82285-a-to-z-what-to-bring-to-college-p1.html</a></p>
<p>Every boarding school will tell you what is included in the room - bed, desk, chair, etc. They may have their own suggested “what to bring list.” They will also tell you what items are prohibited in the rooms. All beds will have a mattress, so you do not have to bring that on the plane; I actually took that for granted. I highly recommend buying a memory foam mattress topper for comfort.</p>
<p>Most beds are twin-xl, which are not standard size in America, and which are certainly not standard European size. So buy sheets here. Most xl-twin sheets are packed as sets (bottom sheet, top sheet, pillow cases). I, like most Europeans, do not use a top sheet, and I am too lazy to use hospital corners to make the top sheet into a bottom sheet. If you only want separate sheets, my suggestion is to buy from <a href=“http://www.thecompanystore.com/company-store/”>http://www.thecompanystore.com/company-store/</a> </p>
<p>Unless you are coming from Moscow, Vladivostok, Montreal, or a place of a similar latitude, do not bring winter clothes; buy them here. Your stores will have nothing to prepare you for what you need. Wait and buy from LL Bean/Land’s End, after you arrive. Some fleece tops will get you through in the interim.</p>
<p>Shipping from overseas is very expensive. You are better off packing what you can into your suitcases, and buying everything else here. Usually schools will accept deliveries in advance of your arrival. So if you get stuff from Amazon, etc, you can have it waiting for you. Be aware that most mailrooms can get slammed at the beginning of the year. For this reason, some have suggested having stuff shipped to your hotel. Personally, I think that’s more of a pain, but ymmv. Check with the airlines for what their baggage allowances are. If you are travelling with parent(s), fill up their suitcases with your stuff, and they can bring most of the empty suitcases home. Stores like Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, allow you to buy on-line and pick up in a nearby store.</p>
<p>Key things you will need: a lockbox/safe (passport/important papers,medicine), power strip, shower shoes (You don’t want toe fungus from the shared showers), fan (most dorms don’t have A/C and it can be warm late summer).</p>
<p>Things not to bring. Unless you taking music classes/performing in the symphony/busking on the corner for change, leave the musical instruments at home. You will not be playing them. Unless you are a varsity athlete, leave the big athletic equipment at home; you will not use it. A baseball mitt is fine. Skis, golf clubs, ice skates, etc.are not. If needed, you can rent. Unless the campus is spread out, leave the bike at home. Even if the campus is spread out, it may be better to buy a cheap bike there; it will get stolen anyway. Do not bring ironing supplies; you will not use them. If you need an iron, you can borrow one. </p>
<p>Do not buy anything major for the dorm (bookshelves, fridge, etc.) until you actually see the space that you have. Do not bring the souped-up audio system; MP3 player is fine. </p>
<p>Some schools will have student-run or charity-run yard sales at the beginning of the year. This is a cheaper alternative for furnishing the room.</p>
<p>Do look into summer storage options. If the school does not provide (most don’t), they will have preferred vendors, many of which will pick up in May and redeliver in September. It may be more economical to store winter clothes, bedding, etc., than shipping back and forth. You can group together with friends to save money.</p>
<p>If you do not know how to do laundry, learn. More laundry detergent is not better. Red tees and white undies together won’t end well. </p>
<p>If you are traveling internationally, or from the opposite coast, I highly recommend that you arrive a day or two beforehand to adjust to jetlag, get acclimated, do last minute shopping. Your parents should arrange for car rental now as SUV’s and minivans are limited.</p>
<p>If your school tells you the name of your roommate beforehand, coordinate with him on things you can potentially share, like printers. Many dorm rooms are set-up in an unusual configuration. If you can find out how they room is configured beforehand, coordinate beforehand who gets which bed. If you don’t have that information in advance, and there is clearly a better bed (e.g. bottom bunk), don’t claim it just because you were the first to arrive. Similarly, don’t make decorating decisions for your room in advance of communicating with your roommate. You will be the one living with him for the next nine months. Don’t start off on the wrong foot. Let’s say you get sick and need someone to bring food, medicine or Gatorade. Your printer runs out of ink or paper late night before major project due. Your roommate may not be inclined to be generous/cooperative/helpful down the road.</p>
<p>Sorry for the long post, but I hope this helps. In the meantime, relax and enjoy the rest of your school year.</p>
<p>Wow, skieurope, GREAT post. Listen up, everyone. That covers it for long-distance domestic students, too. I don’t have anything to add but to underscore the less-is-more mantra. ChoatieKid takes one large suitcase, one rollerbag, and his backpack to and from school every year. The (minimal) rest is stored over the summer using the school-recommended summer storage vendor. Just pretend you’re packing for a two-week trip to grandma’s and you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>@skieurope Thanks so much! So basically, don’t bring anything you “might need” and buy most of the stuff near by.</p>