Packing Lists
 

GC seems to be a treasure trove of useful information- both for Greek Life and life in general. So, I turn to you guys for a little bit of help. I'm hoping maybe this can be a discussion or be a general post for all members to seek advice-

What should/would you pack for school, clothing wise?

I'm having a terrible time deciding how many pairs of jeans, shoes, etc. I'm not going to a completely different climate, but I get the feeling that dressing for college is like dressing for a completely different environment.

What/how much did you take? Was that a good or bad idea, in your opinion? What do you wish you had packed that you didn't/didn't bring enough of?

You'll honestly spend most of your time in jeans. Bring several pairs.

A cute pair of rain boots is essential.

One good pair of tennis shoes/running shoes/sneakers (whatever you call them), one good pair of comfortable neutral colored flats, one pair of black pumps, and a set of sandals/flipflops is all you really NEED. You might also think about investing in a CHEAP, COMFORTABLE pair of heels to wear to parties, that you won't mind getting crap spilled on. Nothing ruins shoes like a frat house basement.

Lots of tanks in different colors that can serve as a base for layers.

Unless you REALLY live in the middle of nowhere (say, Dartmouth), you'll be able to go shopping for what you need. Don't overpack, you'll regret it.

If I've guessed your school correctly, I'm not very familiar with the campus, but I'm in the same city. Get ready for humidity.

Lots of get-sweaty-just-getting-the-mail, feels-like-you're-swimming-not-walking-outside, freeze-when-you-return-to-the-AC humidity. Think light, light layers.

Also you're near some really fun parts of town, but unless you plan to have access to a car I wouldn't bank on shopping for basics here (and that goes for any campus).

Comfy walking shoes is all I can really suggest. If your campus is large (or even if it isn't) they are a must in my book.

In case you do join a sorority, here are some essentials from GC or my own experience:
- A skirt or nice dress pants & nice tops that you can wear to formal meetings (roughly once per month for most groups) - and shoes to match
- Some groups require an all-black or all-white nice outfit for certain events (recruitment, ritual, msc events) - and shoes to match. Although black is easy, I would imagine finding white shoes after Labor Day would be a challenge.
- Bring at least one dress to get you through the first formal. Half the fun is dress shopping with your sisters, but it's always good to have a backup just in case.

Outside of sorority stuff: jeans, jeans, jeans. Options for extreme weather, just in case (e.g. shorts & tanks & flip flops in addition to a heavier jacket & rain/snow boots). Some athletic outfits, and things you don't mind getting dirty/ripped/etc if you participate in some sort of obstacle course or something- whether sorority or college-sponsored.

As someone who moved pretty much my entire bedroom across the country (and on a campus where nobody had cars, the bus system was terrible, and shopping was miles away), I suppose I wouldn't be concerned about overpacking. It's one thing if you can go home for a weekend, but another if you only go home a few times per year. And if you bring clothes you wind up never wearing, a friend or Goodwill are always around to take them off your hands.

I was really borderline about bringing sundresses or patterned skirts- I figured I'd be going to parties, dinners and class, but not brunch. I was really glad to have them with me.
Also, lecture halls tend to be freezing, so it's nice to have a few cardigans.
I brought too many shoes, when you're packing them try to think about what you'll wear them with. I did not need 3 pair black satin evening pumps for freshman year, but I wore all of my less formal black heels a lot. I think a pair of black heels, and a pair of mid-height nude heels can get you through (nearly) any event.

Invest in one of those mattress toppers. And also make sure you buy everything you need to keep your papers organized.

If you know the campus well enough, the best thing to do is pay attention to what people wear to class. At some schools nike shorts and a school/greek/generic tee is standard for class, and at some it's pretty common to see girls in 8 am french wearing a sundress. You'll probably end up, at least somewhat, conforming to what's normal class wear at your school, so i'd try to pack mostly for that- but know that finals week will come, and you'll want your athletic shorts, as will the days where you just need to curl your hair and dress up.

I also second the comfy walking shoes. While this doesn't exactly qualify as a walking shoe, I was really glad I invested a little more money in some comfy black ballet flats with a good sole.

oh, also, if you're going to be walking and/or it rains a lot, you'll want rainboots and something like this:
http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/prod...?p=84483-0-728
not the cutest thing ever, but so worth it.

Orrrrrr 110% the opposite. I don't think I've ever been less than warm in a lecture hall here.

My dorm room was tiny tiny tiny! But I still brought almost all of my clothes and they all fit. I also brought 40 pairs of shoes, along with an over the door shoe rack that held 36 pairs, so all my shoes fit in my room as well! I have a butt-load of clothes and it really wasn't a problem to fit them in my closet, as well as in my drawers, and shelves under the bed, hahah. I had to use some creative storage options, but it all worked out and I never regretted my decision.

I'm doing the same thing this year, it's just getting them to school that's a hassle. Those vacuum storage bags are amazing though! And surprisingly they don't make my clothes all wrinkled!

So is that a total of 76 pairs of shoes? Because if it is, you are my new hero.

No, no, I wish! About 40 total, 36 of which fit on the shoe rack, the rest were stacked in their boxes or lined up under my bed. I just had to control the urge to buy more! I'm in love with heels, what can I say? I was kind of known for my awesome shoes during Recruitment and wear heels almost every day to class. I love my Sperry's too though, don't get me wrong!

I agree with lots of jeans. Even if people dress a little nicer for class, most people spend a lot of time in jeans.

More clothes suggestions:

• I also suggest a few dressier outfits for brunches, dinner out, dates, formal meetings for sororities and clubs, etc.
• 2 or 3 comfy pairs of shoes that aren't sneakers. I'd do one brown, one black, and something in a cool color or fabric.
• Agree on the black pumps and nude-color pumps.
• One or two fun pairs of shoes or boots.
• A blazer that you can throw on over jeans, a skirt or a dress.
• Accessories - scarves (also great if you get stuck in the sun, in a chilly room, in the rain), a few belts, and a few pieces of your favorite jewelry. Don't bring anything too expensive. Pearls, a pair of diamond/pearl/jeweled stud earrings, and a few necklaces can take you far.
• Cardigans are great to change up an outfit or to carry in case it gets chilly.
• Something to put your phone in that can attach to your backpack or belt. I have a cute fabric holder that has a slot for an ID, and one of those clips. You can also get one that has a key fob on it.

Other stuff:

• A fan! Dorms aren't always air-conditioned, and circulating the air can really help, even in the winter if the heat is too high. It's also helpful for white noise while sleeping, especially if people on the floor are noisy.
• Noise-canceling headphones for noisy roommates, studying, or watching/listening to stuff on your computer.
• I agree with a waterproof jacket. I can't tell you how many times I got caught in rain/ice/snow walking back and forth to class.
• A small umbrella to fit in your backpack or tote bag is great, too.

Are you moving to a climate different than your own? That gives you a whole bunch of more stuff to think about.

Haha me too! Last year I brought 34 pairs of shoes with me (everyone in the house was amazed and always wanted to borrow from me!) This year I'm only bringing 28 :p

I'd rather overpack for college as opposed to underpacking. College definitely showed me what clothes I really do wear and what I could give to Goodwill. I have plenty with me at school. I mean, I'm here 3/4 of the year, why should I only bring a week and a half of clothes?

Formal outfits are good to have. Girls have a lot more clothing options than guys, it seems, but I wear my suit and my sweaters and khakis way more than I could have imagined. Job interviews, meeting big alumni of the school, rituals, and special dinners, just to name a few instances where some nice clothes have been great to have.

I'm pretty big on shoes (lol), but I only bring the ones that I know I can wear with more than one outfit.

I think I brought a great amount of clothes my Freshman year but way too many sophomore year. You're probably going to acquire a good amount of school and organization shirts, something I didn't account for my second year when repacking.

ETA: Oh yeah, and when it comes to Winter clothes that I CAN'T wear in Texas, I just put them in a box when they're out of season so they're out of the way. :)

Hahah, what a downsize!