I bring one suitcase and one smaller duffle bag full of clothes, and so that I have those bags in case I travel. I drive myself so I leave pretty much all of my hanging clothes on their hangers, and put everything else in garbage bags. I wouldn't worry too much about bringing too much clothing. Just don't bring stuff you know you will never wear. By november it can get pretty cold, but worse comes to worse, you can have your parents ship you anything that you need, or send home your shorts via mail or on breaks, etc.
You probably want some dressy clothes - you never know if you'll go to a formal or an event that requires some dressing up. From talking to girls, I know that their most indispensable piece of dressy clothing is the universal "little black" cocktail dress. You might also want a business suit if your life desires are so inclined. So sarahhhh you probably want to go from there.
do guys actually need business suits at cornell? During freshman year, I brought my $600 expensive suit but never wore it once, except trying it on to make sure it still fits. I left it at home for sophomore year. I just have some dressy shirts, tie, pants, & shoes.
I don't want to join a frat or anything. I don't want to be a frat brother or go to formal dances. I'm just a regular premed, working as an RA, other work-study type jobs, taking like 20 credits etc.
That's true - it depends a great deal on what you're interested, both academically and socially. Many Fraternity members will need both a suit and a more casual jacket as well, perhaps even a tuxedo. Hotel school students will probably need a few business suits.
On the other hand, Most people will need a suit when it comes time for interviews. etc.
Get a patagonia or an orvis fleece instead - or if you get a north face get something of a different colour. The fratagonias are generally of better quality and there's less chance of getting yours taken in the sea of black northface fleeces.
I would advise a wind proof fleece as well.. it is a little more expensive, but you will be able to wear it all through fall semester. TRUST ME.. windproof is key. Otherwise you will be forced to wear a bulkier jacket in the fall, and a regular fleece wont stop the wind that billows through campus.
I second what adcornell says though.. every single girl (and a lot of guys) have that same black northface with the nylon. If you get a fleece. get patagonia, arc tyrx (sp?), marmot, orvis.. or at least get a windproof northface.
password, it gets as cold as it ever will before Christmas, so you'll need it "all" by mid-November for the entire winter. If you're finding your suitcases are getting too full right now, just leave off the heaviest fleece outergarment, and ship it to yourself on campus by around Sept. 30 or latest mid-October.
Last year there was a freak snowstorm around here on October 14 (the
October Surprise) so that's about the earliest it can get super-cold and raw. Just have everything in place by then.
For September, you only need your mid-weight jacket. That could instead be something like a thick cardigan or zip-up bulky sweater, occasionally layered with whatever nylon shell rainproof thing you'd wear during a summer rainstorm.
So basically 3 garments: nylon rainshell (needed immediately, and loose enough to house a sweater under it); bulky sweater (might as well bring that from the beginning, but if you can't, ship it to yourself by around Sept 20), and the polar fleece everyone's talking about (to arrive around Sept 30, latest Oct 10).
EDIT: Easiest way to get warmer in fall is to add on a skicap and wool gloves in mid-fall. DId you know that 85% of body heat is lost through your head? So if you pop on a skicap (easy to let it live in your backpack all fall), or ANY hat your like, you'll feel warmer. Similarly, it's easy to add on early a wool scarf and knit gloves (cost around $5 up here, just like putting 5-fingered socks onto your hands), when you're still just wearing that bulky sweater around early November. When the blood isn't rushing to your extremeties, it can stay close in to your torso. You'll feel a lot better. I think it's dumb when kids go without head and hand covering in frigid weather; they look so uncomfortable, and it's easy to address.
You probably know this, but bring socks for daily wear, starting mid September. That's probably different than San Jose.
Last edited by paying3tuitions; 08-08-2007 at 10:00 PM.
If you do the trashbag packing thing ... it's better to use *clear* trashbags so your good stuff doesn't look like so much garbage. You can also see what's in the bags -- summer clothes, winter sweaters -- at a glance if the bags are clear. It's worth shopping around in the trash bag aisle for the clear ones.
