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Tufts Admissions Team

Off to college! An International Guide

Aug 20
Jumbo Talk

The clock’s ticking (for procrastinators like me). As dates are crossed off on calendars, tearful goodbyes are said, and shopping lists are diminished to a single item, there is no way to deny that college is just around the corner. Whether you are the batch of people who are jittering with excitement or the handful who are ambivalent, moving into a new home is nerve-wrecking.

I remember, a year ago, the worst part of the whole going-to-college-turning-into-a-freshman experience was having to pack. I trembled with the thought of having to summarize the past 18 years of my life into the contents of two suitcases and was angered by the thought that what was most important was dictated by an airline. I already have great difficulty figuring out what to pack for week-long trips because I can’t evaluate what is necessary, what isn’t, what is too much and what isn’t enough (a total Goldilocks’ problem right?). Packing for college was that anxiety multiplied by ten then twenty. Needless to say, I put it off for a very long time (if I could, I probably would have put it off until the moment my plane took off).

Tufts does an amazing at helping us transition from the comforts of our home to the comforts of our new one. But as an international kid, much of what was out there didn’t apply to me. There was a constant struggle of “should I bring this?”, “can I buy that there instead?” and “would it fit?”. Whether if you have a two or three or four baggage allowance, there is no way that the cargo international students bring can rival that of a New England traveller (not to put down any New Englanders).

So after seeking advice from my sage mother, friends and family combined, mixed with my own experience, I’ve come up with a packing list of my own…

What to Bring and NOT to Bring to Tufts: The International Edition.

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Things to BRING (assuming that you need to reduce, reduce, reduce the weight of your suitcase to the bare necessities)

  • Clothes
    • Favorite things that you can’t imagine not having
    • A good sturdy winter coat to get you through the Boston winter
    • A wind-breaker/raincoat/any outer-wear that is waterproof
    • Something to work out in + Sneakers (because the Tisch Gym is amazing)
    • Versatile clothing, meaning things that you think you can wear for as much of the year as possible
    • Flip-flops (shower shoes!)
    • One formal outfit (a dress, a decked-out suit or both, shoes included)
    • Interview clothes
    • Shoes (try and limit it to five pairs)
  • Useful items
    • A compact umbrella
    • All the electronic things you may need AND REMEMBER THE CHARGERS AND CABLES
    • Flashlight (blackouts don’t really happen, but you can always play a game of flashlight tag out on the Quad)
    • Past papers/ notes that may be useful in college (don’t think all the AP and IB classes have gone to waste!)
    • ADAPTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • A coffee/tea tumbler (hot drinks can be a savior during the winter)
    • CALCULATOR! (especially if you’re an engineer)
    • Medication for all circumstances

 Things to BUY in BOSTON

  • Mattress pad
  • Pillow + mattress protectors (don’t let the bed bugs bite)
  • Towels
  • Light bulbs (and a reading lamp)
  • A FAN!!!!! Boston can get hot in the fall
  • Ear plug + eye mask (if you’re really sensitive to sound or light)
  • A MINIFRIDGE! (it’s more expensive to rent then to buy)
  • Shower tote (try to get a basket, because a mesh bag doesn’t try quick enough and sooner or later your dripping bag will mold)
  • Laundry basket, detergent + dryer sheets (Tide Pods are the best for the lazy college student)
  • Hair-dryer
  • Vacuum cleaner/Swiffer/ something to clean the floors with
  • Duster!!
  • Hangers for your clothes
  • COMMAND HOOKS ARE YOUR BEST FRIENDS
  • Painters tape (to decorate your room with)

THINGS TO NOT FORGET IN YOUR CARRY-ON BAG

  • Travel documents
    • I-20
    • Passport + other forms of ID
    • Photo-copy of your passport + other travel documents
    • Insurance card (travel insurance too!)
  • Other things
    • Chargers for your phone and computer
    • Neck pillow (for those long flight)
    • Snack foods
    • Gum (helps with air pressure and popping your ears)
    • Medication if you get travel sickness
    • Earphones/ear-buds
    • Socks (because it gets cold on the plane)
    • Comfortable sweater (for the same reason)
    • Glasses (if you wear contacts) + contact solution for taking them out

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Granted, there are plenty of other things to consider, and if you have more space in your suitcases, by all means, bring more if it happens to be more affordable where you live. For example, command hooks are about one-fifth of the price here in China than in Boston. I plan on stocking up enough to decorate my room fully with them.

It’s an 8 day count down until orientation. A last minute packing list. I realized today that I’m more excited about moving into Tufts this year than last, and strangely enough, I’m more excited reading all the Buzzfeed posts about heading off to college this time around than before.

 

So in case you haven’t seen this, join me in a Buzzfeed craze (I have to say they’re all pretty accurate)

17 Signs You're Leaving to College Soon

44 Things to do Before You Graduate College

Going to University: Expectations vs. Reality>

To learn tips from the pros : 10 Handy Tips for Packing Like a Pro

 

Last but not least…Welcome Jumbos of 2017!

 

And I can’t wait to meet you all.