<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I'm getting ready to leave for Columbia in a little more than a week, and as such I'm finalizing my preparations. To those of you who are current Columbia students, are there some things that you wish you had brought with you to campus but had overlooked? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Go Explore^</p>
<p>That's a nice link So Authentic....though as with alot of things on the parent's forum there is both good advice and stupid advice....some of the highlights:</p>
<p>the good:
office supplies! they're probably cheaper where you are
sewing kit
envelopes
Bandaids
Light bulbs
Power strips. Extension cords.
over-the-door coat hooks
brita water filter/pitcher
small hammer/screwdriver
Hand-held dust-buster - might even want to go for something a bit bigger
flip flops for the shower -- do not buy anything that would take on water while you are in the shower and get flip flops that you only wear in the shower because it's gross if you shower in them and use them later too
insurance card
formal clothes (suit, nice dress, ties etc.)!!
Lock for laptop (that reminds me i need one of those)
Hangers
computer tool kit(esp if you have a desktop)
really loud alarm clock</p>
<p>The bad (either because it's just a dumb idea or u dont need it at columbia):
keychain for dormroom key (unless you are in hartley/wallach)
sunblock ....i mean, come on
Mirror for dorm room (there will be one)
Drying rack - absolutely no space for this
drill - shouldn't be using that on the wall
cable for t.v. - i advise against tv
RUG or Carpet - only in carman
corded phone in case the electricity goes and cell phone can't be charged (don't bother, it won't work)
A roll of quarters for laundry - umm really not necessary, you can get quarters at hartley or you can use flex which is much better
Binoculars for checking out the local birds (NO!, unless you are creepy and are gonna check out something else)</p>
<p>ok, that's enough, i went through like 6 pages.</p>
<p>i agree with shraf, if you're flying and have serious contraints on luggage, i'd leave out the following from the list of good stuff to get because you'll get it at or near columbia very easily:</p>
<p>lightbulbs
power strips
brita water filter/pitcher
office supplies
tool kit</p>
<p>get a loud alarm that you like</p>
<p>About the whole formal clothes thing, is Convocation supposed to be somewhat dressy or something?</p>
<p>They usher you through a gate and then make a speech.</p>
<p>Nice clothes are for formal dinners, dates, going out with your family when they visit, or for frat/sorority formals.</p>
<p>Is there going to be space for a mini fridge in Carman? And should I get those bed-lifters?</p>
<p>Shraf, please don't tell me Columbia has a dress code because I'm sick of that.
I've put up with my private school's pain-in-the-a** uniform.</p>
<p>"Lock for laptop (that reminds me i need one of those)"</p>
<p>wouldn't it be in your dorm room or something?</p>
<p>"Binoculars for checking out the local birds (NO!, unless you are creepy and are gonna check out something else)"</p>
<p>LMAO, reminds me of Rush hour 2 when both Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker was checking Roselyn sanchez out through the windows</p>
<p>I love snoopy tooo!! LOL</p>
<p>you'll take your laptop to the library and if you need to get up (bathroom, etc) you won't want to leave your laptop just sitting there.</p>
<p>laptops have also been stolen out of rooms where the door is open...happened to one of my friends fresh. year in JJ. it was stolen while he was in the bathroom taking a shower.</p>
<p>there is space for a mini-fridge in carman.</p>
<p>the reason he recommends bringing formal clothes is because there will come situations where you'll need them, and you'll be glad you have them. weddings, funerals, job interviews, fancy dates, fancy dinners with professors or something... and, god forbid, work. there's no dress code at columbia, but in the real world you sometimes need to dress to impress.</p>
<p>What's a good lock. I don't even know what lock will fit. All I see is a little rectangular oval hole on the side of the laptop.</p>
<p>Do they provide ethernet cables or do you need to bring one yourself?</p>
<p>^ Ignore above, just found the answer.</p>
<p>about the minifridge..i know Denzera has reccomended a 3.5 cu ft. one in the past. Is there room to go bigger / did you use the mini fridge for enough stuff for it to be worth going bigger?</p>
<p>When my son was a freshman in JJ he had a larger refrigerator There wasn't much floor space for it so he set it on top of the 3 drawer dresser. I'm not sure, but I think he may have even put his printer on top of the refrigerator. My son wanted a larger one because he liked to be well stocked with Coke and didn't want to have to replenish it frequently.</p>
<p>technically, the rules prohibit one bigger than 3.5 cu ft. bigger ones also don't fit into the space underneath a stock-issue columbia dorm desk, which always was a nice feature for me.</p>
<p>the 3.5' sanyo that i had was able to fit two half-gallon containers in its door, a brita on its shelf, and actually freeze its freezer contents, so i was pretty impressed. <em>shrug</em> your mileage may vary.</p>
<p>Do you still have it? And if so, want to sell it to me?</p>
<p>I could have sworn that the limit was 2.5 cubic feet.</p>
<p>It's definitely 2.5</p>
<p>But most are either 1.7 or 2.7.</p>
<p>And I doubt they whip out a measuring tape.</p>
<p>I sold mine as soon as i moved to my first post-CU apartment. Given how often my roommates eat my food, I wish i'd kept it =)</p>