Hello friends!
I am currently entering Finals Szn™ and my life is entering Chaos Mode. The good news, however, is that Scripps has announced that it plans to open in the fall and students can live on campus! Thus, I bring to you my guide on stuff you should bring. I will be mentioning the usual stuff. Additionally, though, I will be mentioning things I did not think about at all when I was entering my first year.
I highly recommend waiting until you actually get to Claremont to buy some of the general stuff you can buy anywhere. For example, toiletries, snacks, dorm decorations (e.g., lamps, rugs, etc.), and school supplies. If you’re a penny pincher like moi, press pause on the local Target and go to the 99 cent store first that’s literally right next to it. You can also order things online and put your Scripps mail address as the shipping address. Scripps will give you your mail address during the summer and hold your things for you until you get there. Personally, I ordered my comforter and mattress topper online and had it delivered to Scripps.
Bedding/Sheets
Buy a mattress topper! Scripps mattresses are super basic and lowkey hard. If you’re someone who likes a soft bed, I recommend investing in a mattress topper. The prices range, but you can find some that are relatively affordable online. Of course, you’ll need the typical bed sheets and pillows. If you can, you might want to buy two sets of sheets so you don’t have to do as much laundry.
The same goes for towels! Buy 2 towels! In addition, you might want to get a blanket for chilling on the grass. Scripps students LOVE laying on the grass and studying. It’s also useful if you go to the beach. Or, you could use that extra towel. 😉
Clothes
Southern California is usually a very warm climate. If you’re coming from the East Coast or a place with really cold weather, you might want to leave behind your really thick coats. You only really need one or two for when you’re going back home. Personally, I don’t even own a proper winter coat. Usually, a good hoodie is all you need. Furthermore, keep in mind that you’ll probably be buying clothes while you’re at Scripps. Both of my first-year roommates were from out of state and they struggled to figure out how to take all their clothes back home because they had brought so much with them AND bought clothes here.
Professional clothes! I’m talking dress/skirt/slacks, shirt, blazer (!!), and professional shoes. You never know when you’re going to get an internship interview or have a networking opportunity. I literally had to run out to the nearest department store to buy clothes because I had NOTHING.
Books
No. I mean, unless you have a small collection of books that you like to read for comfort. In that case, go for it! However, soon enough, your shelves will be filled with your CORE books and other academic texts.
Miscellaneous
MEDICINE!!! Chances are you might get a cold and it’s your first time being sick away from home. I learned this the hard way 😢 . If my roommate had not been smarter than me and brought ibuprofen, I’d probably be dead. So buy medicine and a mini first-aid kit! Scripps has first-aid kits in the kitchens, but having a few bandaids in your room won’t hurt.
A mug. 🤠 Owning a really cute mug and drinking coffee/tea from it in Seal Court as you do your homework? Priceless.
Transportation? This isn’t really a necessity, but walking from one campus to the next can get pretty tiresome, especially if you have class at Pomona in 5 minutes and you’re at Scripps!!!! The campuses are within a 1 square mile radius, but 5C students still tend to get some mode of transportation once they’re a few weeks into the semester. Skateboards, bicycles, and scooters are the usual. The 5Cs have a very big scooter culture! Yes, I mean Razor scooters. (A lot of people get the adult sized one, but I literally just brought my childhood scooter from home lol.)
A reusable water bottle! Going from one campus to the next, especially in September when it’s still basically summer, can leave you pretty thirsty. There’s water stations scattered around campus, so you can refill your bottle with ice cold water and be prepared for your day!
Dining utensils. Plates, cups, forks, knives, etc. Have some in your room. You never know when you or your roommate(s) are going to buy some sort of food to eat in your dorm. I felt so guilty borrowing a plate from my roommate whenever we would buy a piece of cake or make pancakes together in the kitchen.
Finally, bring something that reminds you of home. 🥰 You might get homesick.
That’s all for now! Bye!