Hereās my top 3s for different aspects of Smith that you should definitelyĀ bring/ship/buy when you get here!
A fan.Ā Especially you first-years!! Smith in August and September still gets pretty hot, and only a few houses have air conditioning, so fans are absolutely necessary. Maybe even two fans? If youāre tight on money, these box fans should be ok. If you want to splurge? A vornado.Ā
A good thick comforter. My parents bought me a nice down-alternative comforter my first-year which has saved me during -20°F weather next to the windows.Ā
Shower Slippers. Communal bathrooms are cleaned daily...but you just want to be extra safe you know? Shower slippers or just those $1 Old Navy flip flops will protect your feet from everything you might encounter in the bathrooms.Ā
Planner.Ā Itās great to write down all your deadlines ahead of time so you know which weeks will be hell week...and which will be mild hell week. Having everything written out also helps with time management to help you prioritize what you should complete first! Honestly by my junior year, I have used Google Calendars to schedule everything from midterms to hang outs with friends since things keep piling up.Ā
A good laptop.Ā Many Smith classes, in both the STEM and humanities departments tend to get writing heavy as you reach the 200-300 levels. Youād need a good laptop that can last you the 4 years to write paper, do research in, and maybe even take notes on. I have a Macbook Pro that has survived, even with software additions for some of my research projects. Itās also pretty light, but incredibly expensive. Laptops are also important for my favorite past time--Netflix.Ā
Note-taking materials. This is an obvious but pretty broad category. Do you learn better when you write? Type? Middle of both? I started out my first-year with those Five-Star 5 subject notebooks compiled into one...but those were so heavy I switched to having 2 3 subject ones for different days (1 for Mon, Wed, Fri classes, and the other for Tue, Thurs classes). Now that I donāt have much note heavy classes, Iāve switched to just having one 3 subject notebook, writing on loose leaf and putting it in a binder, or just printing out PPTs ahead of time to write notes on them. There are many different ways to take notes, so find your fit!
Waterproof, lined winter boots.Ā One of the most popular winter boot styles here in the New England is the LL Bean Duck Boot. Definitely not fashionable but it gets the job done! Itās pretty expensive, but itās quite an investment. Smith also has a winter clothing stipend that you can get from the Deanās Office if youāre on financial aid. There are also many other options, like Sorel and North Face boots, and some can be found at old trusty Marshallās.Ā
Good thick beanie and gloves. Whatās pretty obvious is that you should get a good thick jacket. Whatās not that obvious is gloves and a hat is even more important as you lose heat through your extremities and keeping these areas warm will definitely help. I have a fur lined beanie I got off amazon that keeps me warm, and $10 thick gloves shoved in my jacket are usually good enough. Beanies are also great to warm my ears...especially since my piercings get extra cold and hurt!
Thermals.Ā Uniqlo heattech is a life saver. Thin, breathable, and regulates your body heat. What more could you ask for??? Itās honestly a staple for layering as itās pretty versatile to wear on itās own or under a sweater/jacket.Ā
Canāt wait to meet you guys at Smith!!