Hannah Kroll

First of all, I am so sorry that this post is a little late; I just came home from a family vacation. Which is actually good place to begin. Before you leave for school, make sure that you and your family have some quality time together. I know that it sounds like that’s a given, but with everything starting to become hectic what with all of the getting ready, family time sometimes gets lost. There are little things you can do like hanging out with your parents or siblings while you pack, shop etc. But make sure that you have a full day before you leave that you can dedicate to just spending time with your family, no packing, no college shopping, just good ol’ family time.

By now I hope that you have started your college shopping, so I feel that some of this may be a bit late, however I want to touch on what you really will need and what may seem like a necessity (but really I feel that sadly it is not). Just so you know, there is a Target, a Walmart no more than 5 minutes from Goucher, so if you have a long trip, just bring your clothing, and don’t worry about the big things until you get to school. As far as things you truly do need:

*for bedding: make sure you have at least two sets of bed sheets and a really good mattress pad (it may sounds strange getting two sets of sheets but trust me, it’s a good idea).

*As far as clothing is concerned, you may think that since it’s school, all you will need is jeans, and shirts and sweats, but bring at least one “semi-formal” outfit; if you are a girl bring a nice dress and nice shoes, and for a guy, it never hurts to bring a blazer and khakis, you never know when you are going to need to wear nice clothing. With that being said, remember to bring hangers, I forgot hangers last year and my parents had to run out and go on a hanger search while I was unpacking (you can get a lot of hangers for very cheap at the Target, Walmart, CVS, etc.).

*Big dorm supplies that are a very very good idea to have include a lamp (it may sound strange but a little extra light is always good. I have large standing lamp for my room), a mini-fridge (I recommend renting one your first year, it’s just easier), if you are in a single, a chair or something for others to sit on, MAKE SURE that you bring a little vacuum cleaner — you will need it.

* in my opinion TVs are not really something you need, they are optional, every common room has a TV, plus it’s a great way to meet people in your dorm.

* Bring a few glasses and pots and pans, because I promise you that there will be times when all you want is food that is not from the dining hall, and it’s expensive to order food.

I know that Goucher is one of the few schools that allows its freshman to have cars on campus, but I must be honest with you, having a car as a freshman is both a blessing and a curse. If you are from somewhere close to school, a car allows you to go home when and if you need to (other then vacations), however a car also can serve as a major distraction from studies since it allows you to leave campus whenever you feel like it. I do have a car but the reason for that is in order to get to work (I baby sit). I need a car (however the reason i got a car at school initially was because my knee blew at the beginning of first semester my freshman year, and I needed a car since I could not walk). Also remember gas is expensive now, and also as a freshman, you do not get the liberty of parking anywhere you want to; you must park in the freshman lot which is behind the library. If there is a reason that you do need a car on campus, then yes you should have one, but otherwise, there are plenty of people on campus who can give rides. And since there are tons of people from the same areas, its not hard to find someone to give you a ride home for school breaks.

Please let me know if you have any questions as move-in gets closer. You can facebook me or email me at hannah.kroll@goucher.edu. I would be more than happy to answer any of your questions.