Everything You Will Need Packing List

Packing for college is potentially more stressful than some of you classes will be, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Here is the ultimate packing list (plus more) for college. You will most likely not need to pack everything on this list, it is just here to make sure there’s nothing important you may have forgotten. Anything highlighted in turquoise are things you should coordinate with your roommate about so you don’t end up with duplicates (P.S. check out this link that tells you what’s already in your room!). Anything highlighted in yellow are things that you don’t have to bring with you, but I found useful to have. And lastly, anything highlighted in pink are very important to remember to pack. These were things I found myself using every day or very often. So, try and remember not to over pack and if you forget anything there are several places you can go on (Sisu, the mix) and off campus (Mclanahans, Target) where you can buy anything you might need! Stay calm, breathe, don’t wait until the last minute to pack, and get excited for your first year at Penn State! WE ARE!

Bedding

·         Some kind of comforter

·         2 sets of sheets (twin XL) and extra pillowcases (you should try and change your sheets at least every month)

·         Pillows (husband pillows are super nice to have)

·         Extra blankets

·         Mattress topper (Amazon has some good deals on memory foam ones. I recommend nothing more than 3”)

·         Mattress protector

·         Bed risers

Bathroom stuff

·         Bathrobe

·         Shower flip flops (super important!!!)

·         Shower caddy (I recommend getting an S hook so you can hang your caddy over the shower door instead of on the ground)

·         Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, etc…

·         Razors (extra razor heads)

·         2 or 3 sets of towels

·         Toothbrush and toothpaste

·         Q-tips and cotton balls

·         Deodorant/Perfume

·         Lotion

·         Contacts/contact solution, glasses and case etc…

·         Feminine products

·         Medications

Cosmetics

·         Makeup and all accompanying brushes etc….

·         Makeup remover

·         Hair products, tools, accessories (you can literally never buy enough hair ties)

·         Hairbrush and comb

·         Nail clippers

·         Nail polish and nail polish remover

·         Tweezers

·         Makeup mirror (if you can get one that has a light, it’s super helpful in the mornings)

·         Full length mirror

Closet

·         Clothes (Try not to over pack… it’s very easy, but you most likely won’t need that outfit you haven’t worn in two years)

• Professional Outfit (including shoes)

·        Shoes (don’t forget rain and snow boots!)

·        Accessories and jewelry

·        Hangers

·        Organizers (double closet rod, sweater organizer, shoe organizer etc…)

Technology

·         Laptop and charger

·         Cell phone and charger

·         Tablet and charger

·         Ethernet cable (useful to have just in case but I never used mine)

·         Flash drive

·         External hard drive (for backing up your files)

·         USB mouse

• Extra lamp that clips onto bedframe

Desk Supplies

·         Lamp and light bulbs (the desk should come with a light but having another desk lamp can be helpful, but not necessary)

·         Hand sanitizer

·         Tissues! (especially during the winter!)

·         Bookends (for top of desk)

·         Combination lock (for locking drawer)

·         Chair cushion (the wooden chairs can get very uncomfortable)

• Pen/pencil organizer
• Paper clips and binder clips, rubber bands, thumb tacks
• Notecards, sticky notes

School Supplies

·         Textbooks (I recommend waiting until you go to your class to see if you need them and then compare bookstore prices with amazon prices)

·         Binders and folders

·         Notebooks and loose-leaf paper

·         Agenda or planner

·         Pencils, pens, markers, highlighters, erasers

·         Crayons and colored pencils

·         Calculator

·         Tape (Scotch and packing)

·         Stamps and envelopes (trust me you will need it at some point)

·         Scissors

·         3-hole punch

·         Stapler and staples

·         Backpack (if you can find one with laptop pouch it’s very helpful)

Misc. Stuff for your Room

·         Alarm Clock

·         Rug (You can buy a rug here at http://www.ocm.com/PSU that will be in your dorm room when you arrive. DO NOT buy any of the other packages… they are not worth your money!)

·         Fan (box fan is the most useful)

·         Storage bins (I recommend 3-4 Rubbermaid tubs)

·         1 or 2 power strips

·         1 or 2 extension cords

·         Extra wastebasket (I always put mine under my desk)

·         Doorstop

·         Extra comfy chair (optional- if room)

Laundry

·        Pop-up hamper (fits nicely in your closet)

·         Laundry detergent (I recommend tide pods) and stain remover

·         Dryer sheets

·         Foldable drying rack (optional- I sometime hung my clothes in my closet to dry)

Cleaning Supplies

·         Small vacuum (optional, but nice to have)

·         Paper towels

·         Clorox wipes

·         Disinfectant spray, Febreze

·         Small dish soap, sponge, dish towel

First Aid & Medicine

·         Band-Aids

·         Neosporin

·         Advil/Tylenol

·         Allergy medicine

·         Thermometer

·         Cough drops, cold/cough medicine

·         Aloe

Entertainment (all optional- expect Netflix subscription…just kidding!)

·         TV

·         Movies

·         Books

·         Netflix subscription

Decorations

·         Pictures

·         Posters

·         Calendar

·         Dry erase board or chalkboard

·         String lights

·         Holiday decorations

·         Command hooks and strips (lots of them of all different sizes and shapes! The Velcro ones are very useful for hanging pictures or other things like that)

Food

·         Snacks (if you can reach, the overhead cabinets are a super nice place to store snacks)

·         Chip clips

·         Microwave-safe bowl

·         Plastic utensils, paper plates, plastic bowls and cups, etc…

·         Ziploc bags

·         Water bottle

·         Brita pitcher and filters

·         coffee mugs

·         Ice cube tray

Everyday Stuff

·         Keychain (for your dorm key)

·         ID holder (on key chain or back of phone)

·         Wallet or wristlet

·         Purse

Weather Related Stuff

·         Sunglasses

·         Sunscreen

·         Umbrella

·         Rain boots

·         Rain jacket

·         Winter coat (Bring winter stuff to school after thanksgiving break)

·         Gloves, scarf, and hat

·         Winter boots

Other Important Information

·         Social security number

·         Driver’s license, state ID, or passport

·         Health insurance info

·         Medical prescriptions

·         Banking info

 By: Emily Rapp

How to Stay Calm and Organized During Finals

I’m sure you’ve already experienced finals in High School, and for the most part finals in college are not too different. The main difference is there are a lot of them and the material is harder. However, when the semester is nearing a close and your professor still has not finished teaching all the material, it can be hard to not stress out. But I’m here to share my knowledge about how to stay calm and be prepared. These are 10 tips and tricks that I discovered during my first year at Penn State that helped me get through finals:

1.      As soon as you find out when your finals are, mark them on a calendar. Include the time and location as soon as you find those out. This will prevent confusion, as you get closer to the exam.

2.      Make study guides for every exam during the semester even if you think you don’t need it then. They will help when finals come and you can’t remember that one thing on that first exam you took in September.

3.      Highlighters are your best friends. Color code everything: it helps. By color coding or highlighting certain things, your brain remembers them more. Just the act of switching pens wakes your brain up and you’ll remember ten times the information.

4.      Use binder clips to keep all of your study guides and practice exams together. This way if you decide to go study in the library last minute because your roommate is distracting you, you don’t have to worry about leaving any important papers behind.

5.      Take advantage of study groups either through WEP or ones you create within your class or friend group. Studying with other people allows you to see how much you really know. Explaining a topic to someone else is the best way to reaffirm that you actually understand the topic.

6.      Don’t start studying two days before the exam; don’t even wait until the week before. You’re probably going to have at least 3 exams to study for at the same time. It is hard to balance studying for all three in one week. It’s a lot of material. Start gathering information and making study guides for all of your classes at least 2 weeks before finals. This way you are more organized and already prepared when finals week starts.

7.      Plan out your week hour by hour if you have to. First put in your classes and food breaks. Then plan exactly what you want to study at what time. Blocking out your time will keep you motivated and more on schedule.

8.      Start studying for your last exam first. By the time you get around to studying for that exam you are going to be less motivated. So by starting with it, you are already prepared.

9.      Remember to take breaks and exercise even if that means doing a quick lap around your dorm. Exercising will keep your energy levels up and can give you that much needed break.

10.  SLEEP! Sleep is so important during finals week. Pulling all-nighters does more harm than good. Sleeping allows the brain to really soak in the information you studied that day. If you go into a final having gotten no sleep the night before, you are 100% going to do worse than if you had gone to bed early.

Emily Rapp is a sophomore studying Chemical Engineering and is an Envoy for WEPO'16!