THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 18, 1995 TAG: 9508180041
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: SPECIAL BACK-TO-COLLEGE REPORT
SOURCE: BY VALERIE CARINO, CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
THE SUMMER BEFORE he left for his freshman year at Cornell University, Dennis Ortiz, 19, forgot to pack extra underwear. And he regretted it later.
Dennis, a rising junior, found that his hectic course load gave him little time to do laundry. He was shocked at the high prices in the laundromat - a whopping $1.75 for just eight minutes of drying time.
But he was forced to do the laundry, since he often ran out of underwear.
Packing extra underwear is ``something you just don't think about,'' Dennis said.
According to many upperclassmen, knowing exactly what to bring might not be obvious until you get to school. But they suggest a simple remedy: Plan ahead and be practical.
When packing for their first year at college, most upperclassmen said their biggest mistake was packing too much. Seyenie Yacob, 19, a rising junior at the University of Virginia, knows students who want to have the comforts of home close by, so they ``bring their whole lives there.''
But space is limited, since most freshmen share a room.
Stacey Haines, 19, a rising junior at George Mason University, didn't contact her roommate before school started. So they ended up having two of everything. Two televisions. Two stereos. Roommates can share items - phones, answering machines, and other electronic equipment - to cut down on cost and save space, she later learned.
Space was also tight in Stacey's room because she also brought a futon chair. ``It was a pain,'' Stacey said. ``It ended up getting in the way.''
What about all those items you bought in bulk at Wal-Mart? Bring them, most upperclassmen advise. But again, think about saving space.
But Dennis warns that campus stores that sell basic toiletries aren't cheap. If you have the money, he suggests, buy most of your personal hygiene items in bulk at home.
``In college towns they hike up prices because there's a demand for them,'' Dennis said. ``They know that college students need them, so they'll take advantage of you.''
Here are some other tips from upperclassmen:
Keep track of what you pack. Make lists and review them with your parents and other friends going away to college.
If you bring a bike, make sure you have a good lock.
Bring lots of change for vending machines and laundry.
Leave high school yearbooks at home. People don't know or care about the people you went to high school with.
Remember that you won't always be eating in the dining hall. Snacks and microwave food are a good idea.
Set up a checking account at a bank on campus. Some colleges have ATM machines where you can withdraw fast cash easily.
Be patient and ready to make some major adjustments. ILLUSTRATION: JANET SHAUGHNESSY/Staff
Graphic
MUST-HAVE ITEMS AT COLLEGE
UNUSUAL ITEMS YOU MIGHT NOT THINK OF
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB