By: Morgan Jacobus, Editor in Chief and Sarah Gomez, Staff Writer
For many students, this may be the first time they are preparing to go home for winter break, while for others it is a different experience because of the nature of this particular break. This year, rather than a Thanksgiving Break then a Winter Break, students are going to be home from November 20th through at least the 16th of January; a break of over 50 days. Additionally, there is the added element of finals taking place remotely when students are at home, so on top of preparing for being home, students also have to prepare for their finals. It can be a daunting task to figure out what one should pack and how they should prepare, so we have offered a number of tips along with important information to keep in mind.
Information from Dean to keep in mind:
You must check out of your room by 8:00 pm on Friday, November 20th
First-year students will check-in Saturday, January 16th
Upper-class students will check-in Sunday, January 17th
No guests/ helpers will be allowed to assist with move out/ move in for the spring semester
How to leave your room:
Prior to leaving for the semester, the following is cleaning is required of you:
Clean room, including micro-fridge
Remove trash and recycling from room
Unplug all appliances
The two big things can be checked off in one dedicated day. If need be all three can be done in a single sitting, however, you are strongly encouraged to get this done sooner rather than later. When cleaning your room, make note of where each thing goes, this will help avoid just moving the mess from place to place. Additionally, throw out the trash from cleaning your room the day you finish cleaning to avoid trash piling up.
As for unplugging appliances, save that for the day you leave, to avoid unnecessary hassle. The last thing you need the morning of your flight is to wake up and realize your phone didn't charge overnight.
Additional (Optional) things to do before you go:
It is important to remember that you are coming back to your space as you left it. The state you leave your room in will be the same state it will be in when you return. You do not want to start off next semester with any unnecessary stress, though it is already required to be clean on the surface level, a deeper cleaning will be rewarding come the spring. Because of this, you should consider doing these additional errands:
Wash your dirty clothes
Clean any/all dishes
Vacuum
Wash your towels and shower caddy
What to pack:
I recommend starting to think about what you want to bring home sooner rather than later. If you try to pack everything at once the day of or the night before, if you are anything like me, you will forget something. Try preparing a list or making a pile of things to bring home.
When thinking about what to bring home, I would recommend first thinking about what you have at home, what you have at school, and what you are going to be doing at home. For instance, something to keep in mind is the climate of where you will be going. For me, I live in Colorado, so I know I need to be sure to bring my boots, heavy coat, and other winter wear. Additionally, I anticipate working while I am at home, so I am going to bring comfy shoes to wear during my shifts. Lastly, I thought about what I already have at home that I don’t need to bring, and what I have at school that I will need at home.
Some items to be sure to bring home include:
Medication
Any personal care items you use daily (face wash, face lotion, retainer, toothpaste, etc.)
Toiletries you brought from home that you don’t have at home
Your wallet (IDs, money, cards)
Plants/ fish (if you have them)
Clothes you should consider bringing home:
Jeans/ leggings/ pants
Underwear/ socks
A handful of shirts (depending on what you have at home/ what you think you will need)
A few pairs of shoes (I am bringing boots and slip ons that I wear almost every day)
Wear the bulkiest shoes when you are leaving
In addition to personal items, you will want to consider what school materials you will need to take your finals, such as:
Laptop & charger
Notebook/ related notes
Any course materials like textbooks/ books that could help with studying/ taking the final
Have a safe trip home and good luck with your finals!