The annual what-to-bring thread

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Rochester
21

<p>Thank you PinotNoir for the facts.</p>

<p>During my 4 years in Rochester dorms, I can only remember 1 day when I thought “today would have been a day for AC”. Just bring a fan, and you’ll be absolutely fine. I never heard anyone complain about AC while at school.</p>

<p>I also think that it’s funny that we are talking about Rochester’s heat and not Rochester’s cool/cold temps. Of course orientation can be warm, but it will cool down to the 60’s at night, so no worries!</p>

<p>Enjoy the heat while it lasts!</p>

<p>According to Accuweather.com, the average high in September in Rochester is around 71, the average high in October is 59, the average high in May is 55… The average lows never get above 51 during those months… It’s not that hot in Rochester.</p>

22

<p>I could not disagree more. </p>

<p>When you speak to administrators at schools, they tell you one of the worst things they deal with is parents who can’t stay out of their kids lives and kids who can’t cope with any form of hardship. Life is much tougher than this nonsense. Kids are spoiled and we should keep spoiling them because the little snowflakes need coddling. </p>

<p>I went to Yale. My freshman year room had windows which didn’t close at the bottom from years of being leaned against, from the warping of the leaded glass, so snow would accumulate. And the gaps meant we could hear every word said in the New Haven police car that would often park next to our room. Our bathroom was something out of the late 19thC. And that was by far not the worst freshman dorm. Lawrence was so disgusting it looked like something from the Civil War. Upper class housing wasn’t much better. That’s not why we were there. And we loved it.</p>

<p>One of my friends shivered through 4 winters in a windbreaker and sweater, pretending he was impervious to the cold. He had no money. His winter shoes were sneakers. He’s now a successful venture capitalist who spends a substantial portion of his time working on economic development.</p>

<p>One of my friends in law school came from a country so poor he literally carried a potato in his hands as he ran to school. He ran because it took his mind off how hungry he was. </p>

<p>So I have a bunch of grumpy old man stories, but if you can’t stand discomfort then you really aren’t anything. Air conditioning is a luxury. You have cable tv and super fast internet with wireless coverage and study libraries open 24/7. You have dining halls that make food to order when generations of kids lined up and ate whatever dish was made that day, like it or don’t eat. You have coffee bars in your school.</p>

<p>It isn’t that school was a 5 mile walk always against the wind and always uphill but that simple discomfort is valuable. It teaches you. It makes you a better person. </p>

<p>Life is very hard. It can be very lonely. Work can eat your life. Odds are pretty good you’ll find yourself doing things you don’t like, even things that really bother you on many levels. You’ll find lots of challenges to your soul. All those people who call you selling lies are people who find themselves doing that because they need the money.</p>

<p>I understand the urge to make things as easy as possible but that is an urge which should be resisted. Make things less comfortable for yourself. Resist easy choices. People can’t stand being too cold or too hot or a little bit hungry. Wrong. Get used to the cold. Get used to the heat. Get used to feeling hungry. </p>

<p>I’m sorry if this offends people but the very last thing I want to see is the limited resources of a university applied to more comfort. We live in an era where budgets are under pressure. The school should leave cooled spaces a little warmer, because that saves money and that means they can pay someone’s salary. UR tries to make good choices. They used contributions from parents (the parents fund) to pay for a big chunk of the wireless. That made sense because parents could see a benefit going directly to kids. But there are limits. The world does not revolve around you and your needs.</p>

23

<p>To those of you who feel you don’t need it : you’re probably from the North originally and aren’t used to being constantly climate controlled. We Southerners are used to EVERYTHING being sub-70 all year long - house, car, grocery store, gym, etc. So my warning to bring an AC is to southerners only.</p>

<p>To Lergnom - suffering for the purpose of suffering does not make you a stronger person. If it can’t be helped, then yes, you must suffer…but if it’s a problem that can easily be fixed with the simple act of bringing an AC, there is no reason to purposely be uncomfortable thinking it will make you more successful later in life - the two are completely unrelated.</p>

<p>Your comment “if you can’t stand discomfort then you really aren’t anything” goes too far. You have no right to judge anyone, thank you.</p>

24

<p>The cost of bringing AC to the old Rochester dorms would be astronomical. IF you can’t deal with the heat for 6 days during the academic year, go to Yellowknife Canada for college.</p>

<p>Lergnom is absolutely right.</p>

25

<p>DarkIce - I’m not sure Lergnom is advocating suffering just for the sake of it as much as the fact that learning to deal with reality - which doesn’t often mean having every comfort immediately met through little or no effort on your own part - is part of growing up, whether it’s learned when one is 3, 18, or 40 years old. Everyone ought to drive a car that has a tire going flat everyday, needs a screwdriver to adjust the heat, and has one door held closed by duct tape. Everyone ought to have a year when they have to eat baked potatoes for two days waiting for their next paycheck to come. Everyone should have to choose at least once between paying the rent on time or buying that really cool new coat that’s on sale for 75% off. I just think it’s more fun to do when you’re in your early 20’s than when you’re older and trying to afford big college bills for your kids that are high because colleges are in some kind of race to make college life a luxury resort. College kids sipping $6 Starbucks on the way to the state of the art workout center with TV’s on every treadmill while I’m home pinching pennies gets on my nerves! </p>

<p>But anyway - philosophical differences aside, it really isn’t too hot in Rochester. No AC does not equal suffering. I won’t mention the cold grey skies in winter. ;)</p>

26

<p>Thank you Lergnom, URGrad2009 and Pinot Noir. Another parent here who thinks the lack of AC is no big.</p>

<p>Dark Ice, we live in the Southwest desert where it’s even hotter temperature-wise than the South. And let me assure you that even here AC is NOT universal, nor is everything climate controlled. (Unless you come from a certain advantaged socio-economic milieu…)</p>

<p>Yes, you may experience some small discomfort from the lack of AC in early September, but it doesn’t last long. Fall is brief and fleeting. Enjoy the warmth while you can because winter lasts a long, long time in Rochester. (Which is D2’s big gripe. Winter lasts basically from October thru June 1.)</p>

<p>And if you like your winter temps in the sub-70’s…I’m sure upstate NY will happily fulfill that expectation!</p>

27

<p>WayOutWestMom - the South, where I live (suburbs of Raleigh NC) is always climate controlled, I didn’t say anything about the west.</p>

<p>I agree that sometimes we have to suffer, and there’s no way around it, and I have gone through my fair share of that for sure. Despite that, all I am saying is that you don’t have to always roll over and take it. In my situations, I’ve always done what I can to try to fix the situation - take for example a gym that keeps the temperature far too hot. Everyone’s sweating, no one likes it, but no one says anything because they have the mentality of those on this board “sometimes you just have to suffer.” Well, I complain, they make it cooler, and deep down everyone thanks me for it.</p>

<p>There are different people in this world, and we all have our own strengths and weaknesses. Some of you see my advocating bringing an AC to college to be cool or complaining to gym staff about the temperature as a sign of someone who “just can’t take it.” Meanwhile, I see those of you who scoff at me doing these things as people who take what is given to them and go with it without any sort of fight - people who are simply too compliant.</p>

28

<p>DarkIce,</p>

<p>I’ve been doing my share of lurking on CC forums, looking at a lot of northeast schools, and I have to say that you have a reputation for being nothing but a complainer…</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/cornell-university/1131191-stuck-between-cornell-duke-please-help-4.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/cornell-university/1131191-stuck-between-cornell-duke-please-help-4.html&lt;/a&gt;
Post # 5 # 17 # 33 # 49 and # 53 say a lot about you. I hope you won’t bash all of your future homes in this fashion. Rochester is unlucky to have you.</p>

<p>It’s too bad that you feel obligated to dish out negative remarks on these sites. You sound like a stuck up snob.</p>

<p>Thank you everyone else for the list of things to bring to a college dorm. I know I’m tough enough to survive with a fan in Rochester, or Boston, or New York. According to Pinot Noir’s weather facts, Rochester is not hot enough to warrant AC in all of the dorms.</p>

29

<p>It’s no secret I hate the northeast - the AC issue is one of the biggest reasons…along with the old run down buildings, rude people, etc. I don’t think the crime-filled run-down, city of Rochester, losing citizens on a daily basis (mostly to the South) is unlucky to have anyone - they need anyone they can get. I, on the other hand, am unlucky to have to live here, agreed.</p>

30

<p>Wow, you really are a jerk. I’ve been told you that about you. Well, the world is full of jerks. </p>

<p>BTW, much of my family lives in NC, including the suburbs of Raleigh. I’ve spent a lot of time there over more years than you’ve been alive. It was not always climate controlled. We did fine, even in July and August when it gets stinking hot and humid. That’s why they invented iced tea. You sweat and move slower and drink coke and iced tea and lemonade, and you learn to appreciate the beauty of a warm night and a cool morning and how good it feels to come out of the sun into the shade. </p>

<p>For any northerners, most southerners are not like this. The culture of the south is not me, me, me.</p>

31

<p>Dark Ice–it’s not too late to withdraw from UR. Since you obviously don’t want to attend and have already decided you won’t be happy there, why not withdraw? (I’m sure your future roommate will thank you for it.)</p>

<p>There must be many southern, fully climate controlled colleges that you can attend.</p>

32

<p>Back to the What the Bring:

  • Money on your Flex account. For you newbies, you know this as URo’s, but I don’t think anyone has ever called it that. This money is used for vending machines, laundry, bookstore purchases, printing, photo-copying and buying non-edible items at the corner store and common market. It is very useful, and a pain when you are out. Not something to bring, but useful nonetheless.
  • Hooks. I’m not sure about the over-the-door hooks having never used them, but command hooks work great. There aren’t any hooks built in in freshman dorms.
  • Travel mug
  • Baking Pan/Saucepan. Most kitchen items are optional (unless you live in Southside, or somewhere with a kitchen) but it seemed like every weekend there was someone looking for a pan.
  • Umbrella/Rainboots. It rains- often and unpredictably. The tunnels are great, but you will have to walk outside sometimes.
  • A set or two of dressy clothing. There will be semi-formals, parties, events you have to attend where looking like you just rolled out of bed is not acceptable. For girls, I would recommend bringing one nice dress (not like a prom dress, but SEMI-FORMAL), because its better to be prepared. Guys, probably bring a blazer, button down shirt, and please, more than one tie.
  • I really don’t want to bring up the heat issue again, but a fan is really nice. I needed mine the first two days, and never after that living on a top floor. However, it was very good for drowning out noise.
  • Tools. Screwdriver, hammer, wrench, allen wrench. That should cover about everything that possibly might break in your room. And duct tape.
  • Microwavable bowl.
  • Scissors.
  • A game. Apples to Apples was great hall bonding, as was bananagrams. At the start of the semester, these are great ways to get to know people and they’re still fun later in the semester.
  • First aid stuff. Band-aids, anti-biotic cream, ace bandage, thermometer, cough medicine… UHS is right on campus, but a pain so come prepared.</p>

<p>Don’t bring:

  • Clocks that make loud ticking noises.
  • Upward facing lamps. I know everyones said this a million times, but there will still be at least 5 people on every hall who show up with octopus lamps and then get mad when they get taken away. Don’t be that person.
  • Tapestries/clothing hangings for the walls.
  • Your incredibly large speakers that will make walls shake.</p>
33

<p>The command hooks or equivalent are the only kind allowed at UR and most every school now. You can’t nail stuff up. If you stick something up, you may get charged for fixing the mark. </p>

<p>Another suggestion is better headphones. If you like to listen to music or tv at night, the open ear kind that bleed sound into the room are a drag for your roommate. The over ear or in ear ones work better. These are not essential, just a suggestion if you’re really into music late at night - and if so, you likely have the cans already.</p>

<p>If it hasn’t been mentioned, you want flip flops for the bathroom and shower. And a drying rack of some kind - plastic or wood cheapo ones work fine. Especially useful for girls. I know many kids have never done laundry. A mesh bag or container for bras & the like is very desirable. </p>

<p>All this stuff is at Target, Walmart, etc.</p>

34

<p>Any idea what ‘concert’ wear (for men) is if you are performing in Jazz Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, etc.<br>
Thanks!</p>

35

<p>My D is applying to Rochester this year. Please assure me that the attitude of Dark Ice is a rare exception! </p>

<p>Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using CC App</p>

36

<p>annasdad, yes. </p>

<p>Don’t know where you’re from but the people at UR and in Rochester as a whole tend to be very friendly. Rochester is on the line that divides east from midwest in attitude and doesn’t have the east coast brusqueness. The kids at UR are very normal, something which struck me considering how academic the school is. My kid is very normal and loves it there. </p>

<p>The usual thing is you meet UR people - lots of them come through Boston because of the scientific/medical world - and they all love the place. I can think of only one other school that all the grads seem to love, Northwestern. I used to think Northwestern grads had been brainwashed and then I started to meet UR grads and they’re just as excited about the school.</p>

<p>I don’t understand the whole complaining thing. As I noted - I think in another thread - I have a lot of family in NC and I’ve spent a lot of time in the south. That’s not the typical attitude at all. Some people are difficult. Also, that person is in grad school.</p>

37

<p>lergnom, thanks. That confirms the impression we got when we visited last spring. We were impressed by how many students greeted our tour guide by name as he led us through the campus. </p>

<p>Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using CC App</p>

38

<p>annasdad, an opinion like that is a rare exception. At least in my experience, I’ve found the Rochester community to be warm and welcoming – not to mention very happy with their college experience here. I was a transfer student, and my major reasons for choosing Rochester were the academics and social environment. Students are intelligent and dedicated to their work, but also know how to relax and be sociable. </p>

<p>As for the weather, I grew up around Rochester but am quite sensitive to heat. However, it’s really not an issue at night especially if you have a fan in your room for the first few weeks of school. And during the day, you’ll be out in air conditioned buildings or enjoying the nice weather anyways.</p>

39

<p>Another parent chiming in how nice the people at UR seem to be. Both D2 and myself have consistently found the people at the university helpful and very pleasant to deal with. D2 says the students are quite welcoming. The university is small enough that everyone knows everyone else. (And not just kids from your own class. Seniors know the sophomores. Freshman know the juniors, etc.)</p>

<p>Of course, there are always a few jerks, but that’s the way life just is.</p>

<p>Another nice thing-- UR’s administration is open to student input about campus issues. There are several student advisor groups that develop recommendations for the administration.</p>

40

<p>To Darkice and other southerners. I mentioned in another thread that I’m from FL and was surprised by the heat and lack of A/C when I visited the UofR campus this summer. But hopefully everyone has chosen the university for it’s outstanding education.
I am very excited to start this fall, so much so that I’d still in enroll if it was 95 everyday with no A/C. If anything I’m more concerned about the winters! I’ve never even been in snow. But again, that’s how excited I am about UofR, I’ll learn to cope.
But as for the what to bring, being new to real winters, does anyone have any tips for starting a good winter wardrobe? I mean obviously a good jacket, closed toes shoes, but anything someone new to the weather might overlook? And when does the weather typically start to turn up there?
Thanks!</p>