A friendly guide on what to bring and what not to bring
In our continued efforts to welcome our freshmen friends to Columbia as a part of our Freshman 15 series, we present some upperclassman wisdom on what to add to your Bed Bath & Beyond pick up lists and what to leave home with your rock collection.
What to bring:
“I’d bring your high school letterman jacket to wear to every NSOP event with a transcript of your ACT scores stapled to the inside. Trust me, if you want to be the absolute coolest freshman, you WILL have to prove your straight 35 section-by-section breakdown.”
-Jim Pagels, CC ’13
“Bring: Earplugs. Useful for blocking out nearby sex sounds, St. Luke’s, saxophone practice, tap dancers, shower singers.”
-Jason Bell, CC ’13
“A credit card. You can get everything else in New York. If you can’t then you should just stay home and forget about college.”
-Lanbo Zhang, CC ’14, Editorial Page Editor
“Posters and lamps. Because you can’t underestimate the depressing effect peeling white walls and institutional lighting will have on your soul.”
-Marilyn He, CC ’14, Digital Engagement Director
“You think you don’t need to iron something? Surprise, you’re wrong. Trust me. I’m fairly certain that your wardrobe isn’t just yoga pants and sweatshirts, and you will be going on some kind of interview or to some kind of formal. It is going to happen. Just bring it. They even sell mini ironing boards.”
-Samantha Henderson, CC ’14, Spectrum Daily Editor
“Do bring (or better, buy here) antibacterial/bleach wipes. They come in super handy in many situations. Just think about all of the people and activities that have been or happened in your dorm since it was built (or that will occur this year).”
-Grace Bickers, CC ’14, Deputy Editorial Page Editor
“Bring all your books! Realising you don’t have any time for pleasure reading is, like, a rite of passage, innit?”
-Robbie Lyman, CC ’15
“Bring a Rubik’s cube that you can mindlessly solve when you have writer’s block. Helps avoid the urge to open your browser and type fa, enter.”
-Muneeb Alam, CC ’15, Sports Associate Editor
“Bring neon clothes – you never know when you’ll need them.”
-Daniela Quintanilla, CC ’14, Finance Director
What not to bring:
“I’d avoid bringing a map of Brooklyn. I’d avoid packing ice cream.”
-Jim Pagels
“I lugged a printer to school. It ran out of ink in the midst of my first UWriting assignment and then lived under my bed the rest of the year. Don’t bother: You’ll have the privilege of sighing loudly with everyone else while waiting on line for the public printers.”
-Jake Davidson, CC ’14, Online Editor and Spectrum Daily Editor
“You will never use that doorstop after November. And board games… just stop trying to be the floor mom—that’s your RA’s job, seriously.”
-Darron Kinney, CC ’14, Spectrum Daily Editor
“Do bring your confidence. But not your overconfidence. You are here because you were chosen to be here— don’t doubt yourself. But you’ll also find out pretty fast that your peers are the most incredible people you will ever meet.”
-Grace Bickers
“Don’t bring: high expectations for Columbia housing. It’s very institutional. Like a mental hospital or halfway house.”
-Jason Bell
“Don’t bring an airplane pillow to use in Butler. You will be judged. (Saw someone do it.)”
-Daniela Quintanilla
“Exercise videos for your dorm room. Because repetitive thumping will always sound suspicious.”
-Marilyn He
“Despite how much high school sucked, some disgusting feeling of nostalgia possessed me and I brought my yearbook. Don’t ask. How many times did I look at it? Zero. How many times did I think to myself how happy I was to have graduated? Hundreds. Am I too bitter? Maybe. Possibly. Yes.”
-Rebeka Cohan, BC ’14, Spectator Sports Editor
Wait Jake you had a printer?! After all those times of us having to run downstairs, you don’t mention this?!
I can’t believe we’re friends.
Wait Marilyn, you can bake? All those times of me wanting a fucking chocolate chip cookie and willing to pay you for it, you don’t mention this?!
How do you go to sleep at night?
oh i get it sarcasm
If you need earplugs (or an eye mask) Alice! will gladly provide them. Pick up a set at NSOP, at any number of events on campus, or drop by the Alice! office in 108A Wien. In addition to Jason’s comments about ambient sounds, they can be helpful with ensuring quality sleep. http://www.health.columbia.edu/sleep
never knew this. alice! you rule.
alice! continues to be the best.
i can’t believe no one mentioned you shouldn’t bring a significant other. turkey dump is real, yo.
You forget that those who get to witness the tears after turkey dump do benefit from seeing the pain of others.
Those are for after college.
Do bring – a certified check from the bank with the institution’s full name (If you forget “In the City of New York,” I’ll delay your registration time).
Don’t bring – dignity. It’ll be gone by the end of September anyways.
great list spectrum! also that girl knows what she’s talking about- bring neon y’all
Do not bring a whiteboard. You’re a grown-up now.
i used a doorstop every day of the year, but in our suite door in carman. depends on your dorm.
tl;dr A— SPEC WOULD NOT PERUSE AGAIN
lol pagels
Having a printer in my room was incredibly convenient. Saved me so much grief when printing out essays I’d finished 15 minutes before the class they were due in started. When my printer broke and I had to rely on the public printers (80% chance at least one of the two in my dorm was broken at any given time, no joke) I realized just how useful having my own printer had been. Getting a new one for this year was a no-brainer.
Please bring: new ideas for the Spec so they can stop posting joke posts such as this one.