Packing for school doesn’t have to be a stressful affair. Here’s what I wish I had known about what to bring and what not to bring as an incoming college freshman.

The summer before freshman year, I spent over two weeks packing for college. Even after asking friend after friend and messaging various new classmates on Facebook about what they were stuffing into their suitcases, I was still at a loss as to what I actually would need to survive at my new home away from home. Naturally, I over-packed; during move-out, I discovered boxes of things that I never even looked at during my approximately eight-month stay in a Quad double.

However, my move-in and move-out debacles would have been completely avoidable had I known what I now know about living in a college dorm. To all the incoming freshmen and returning Quakers who want to travel lighter, here is my advice on what to pack and what to leave behind.    

DO PACK: 

• Rain Gear:
  • Living in the suburbs, I never found myself needing much else aside from an umbrella and a car during a torrential downpour. Coming to Philadelphia, however, I finally discovered the merits of a trusty pair of rain boots and a raincoat. When it rains, the campus becomes a puddle magnet, and when it snows, you definitely do not want to be caught without waterproof shoes unless you want soggy and cold feet by the end of the day. Hunter rain boots are undoubtedly the most common ones seen around campus, but if you prefer something more unique, check out Däv or luxury fashion brands like Burberry and Jimmy Choo for their rain boot offerings. 
• A Water Filter:
  
  • Even if you are fine with drinking water straight from the tap, aside from a select few, the sinks in the Quad trickle out water at a pace of a cup every five minutes, if you are lucky. Unless you want to waste valuable time waiting for your cup or water bottle to fill up every time you fancy yourself a drink, a Brita water filter is a worthy investment. With one, you will be able to track down the one good sink on your floor and then stockpile filtered water for making essential college life staples, like coffee and ramen noodles.      

LEAVE BEHIND: 

• Silverware and Cooking Utensils: 
  
  • Between classes, group projects, club meetings, and other extracurricular activities, you will rarely have time to do dishes much less cook. (If you are living in the Quad, there is likely not a freely accessible kitchen in your vicinity, anyway.) Sure, you may need a fork or a spoon once in a while, but plastic, disposable ones from Wawa should do just fine. 
• High School Spirit Wear:
  
  • Coming to school, I packed a few t-shirts sporting my high school mascot as well as my senior year graduation t-shirt. By the end of the year, I had not worn them once. Mostly because as incoming freshmen, you are given Penn t-shirt after Penn t-shirt. If you end up joining a sorority or fraternity, spirit jerseys and tanks sporting your letters will then continue to fill up your wardrobe. Ultimately, you just won’t really have the opportunity to wear high school spirit gear except for maybe a belt, ring, or bracelet here and there.     

While there are many other items that you should or shouldn’t bring to school, these are just the basics that I kept coming back to as I reflected on my own freshman year. Also, when packing, keep in mind that you will probably purchase new things. In my case, I had a tendency to buy new clothes. So, avoid bringing too much of your wardrobe unless you are sure that you will actually wear that top or skirt sometime during your months at school. Happy packing!