I’ve already searched around the internet, and most recommend a general two weeks worth of clothing.
But just curious, how much clothes are you bringing?
I’m a girl and will be attending SBU in the fall (not a too fashion-conscious uni i think).
I’m considering (and feedback is appreciated ^-^ ):
underwear/bras/socks - all
tank tops - 3-4
formal wear ~3 items
shoes ~ 5-6 (shower, sneakers, walking (3), slippers for dorm)
bracelets - 3
necklace - 1
earrings - 1 pair
not counting accessories and underwear/socks, probably about 51 items total.
The t-shirts shouldn’t take up that much space, but the hoodies and sweaters will.
I hope I'll be able to fit everything should I get tripled...
Are you guys bringing any food and other utility items? like granola bars, a vacuum cleaner, water boiler, printer, spoons, chopsticks, etc.
I can’t give any specifics since I’m a guy, but I can maybe give you some things to think about to help your process.
First, the amount of clothes you bring should be limited by your transportation to school. Are you flying? If so, you’ll only be able to load-up maybe two suitcases. If you’re driving, you’ll be limited to the space in whichever vehicle you’re taking, but don’t be that freshman that shows-up with a minivan LOADED with stuff.
I haven’t been to any dorm at your uni but if they’re anything like those at others I’ve seen, you’re not going to have a whole lot of space. You’ll probably be limited to a closet/armoire and a few drawers in your bed or night stand. If you think you can load-up all the things you listed in what I just described then you should be good-to-go.
The next thing to think of: if you plan on going home for Thanksgiving you can limit how many cool-weather clothes you take with you at first as you can pick-up more on break. This will allow you to travel a little more light, get a feel for how much space you have, and see how much other people bring.
As far as taking food with you I’d recommend against it. You should easily be able to make a run to a local store after you arrive and unload your stuff. I’m sure the initial move-in will be hectic enough, so limited the amount of things you have to move-in should alleviate some of the stress. And the utility items you listed- I’d only take items to school that you KNOW you’ll be using on a fairly regular basis. You might be surprised how little you use some things the longer you stay at school.
Good luck, and enjoy your last few weeks of summer!
@elliebham Lol, I know I’m not a female and don’t understand everything about clothes, but that is DEFINITELY too many clothes. I’d be incredibly impressed if you were able to fit all that in your dorm room without additional storage.
Where I’m going to school, it’s hot (mid-80’s-ish) for the first few weeks of school, then it drops to fall temperatures. It’s in the 40’s by the end of October. What I think I’ll do is bring mostly my summer-y and early fall clothes, and then send some of that back home when my parents send me my more wintery stuff in October.
I disagree with @NHuffer, that seems like a totally normal amount of clothing, though that is a lot of shoes. I’m a guy and by the time I left college, I had at least 50 shirts between button downs, polos, and tshirts, 10+ shorts (khakis, sports), 15+ pants (chinos, jeans, dress pants). Didn’t come with nearly that much, but as time went on, I wanted to look nicer. Imagine that.
Haha thanks! It might seem like a lot of shoes, but I’m bringing:
2 pairs athletic shoes (one for walking, low-impact exercise, one for running, high-impact)
2 pairs of canvas shoes
1 pair of Oxfords (can be dressed up/dressed down)
4-5 pairs of flats (what I usually wear on a day to day basis)
1 pair of rain boots
2 pairs of wedge sandals that can be dressed up or down
1 pair of boat shoes
3 pairs of heels ranging from semi-formal to formal
1-3 pairs of flip flops (casual and don’t take up that much space anyway)
Probably a couple extra, too, but that’s off the top of my head. And they all fit in two small bins that will fit perfectly on the floor of my closet. Lol I like to look nice and have options.
ETA - just saw the part of the OP where you asked about food/utility items. Lol I don’t think you want me to list everything I’m bringing there or you’ll all think I’m over-packing again.
@CeLcel It was suggested by my friend that you look into Pinterest for “minimalist wardrobes” as you can have a lot more options with fewer articles of clothing. If nothing else it can show you how to get the most out of what you already have so you can show up to school with a really great variety of clothes, which is, after all, why people want to bring so many clothes in the first place.
Start on the light side, and then keep some “secondary” clothes in a separate drawer at home. If necessary, ask your parents to mail/bring them or pick them up when you visit.