Packing tips for coming back to campus after your month-long winter break

Every winter, most college students must leave campus after finishing their fall semester. While winter break is an inviting phrase to hear after 16 weeks of classes with no fall break, staying safe amid the coronavirus pandemic has caused extra, unneeded stress this holiday season. As preparing for finals and staying healthy are on students’ minds, here are some quick and easy packing tips to make sure you bring everything back with you to campus in January 2021. 

How to know what to pack

The easiest way to keep your thoughts clear is to write them all down. Making a list can help reduce the chances of forgetting anything that is vital to your school life, such as a phone charger, laptop, room key and underwear. Creating a packing list can also help prevent overpacking and making an extra elevator trip during the process of moving back to campus. 

Take an extra duffel bag with you in case you are bringing more belongings, such as holiday gifts, back to campus than you had left with. Bringing additional luggage can also help you carry items to campus you need for the spring semester, such as new textbooks, additional school supplies, springtime clothing or any other home items you had forgotten to bring to campus during the fall semester. 

How to pack your belongings

Whether you’re hitching a ride with a friend, hopping on an airplane or simply traveling back to campus by car with your parents, it’s important to be aware of how much luggage you’re carrying with you. 

Fill your bags until they are full. For example, fill your laundry basket all the way up with bedding and shoes. Put snacks and your coat in your backpack and all of your clothes in a large duffel bag.

Pack your bulky items first. Put all your sweatshirts, sweatpants and big sweaters at the bottom of your luggage bag. Then, fill in your bag’s gaps with smaller, lighter clothing. Instead of folding your clothes, try rolling them, which reduces their size and prevents any immediate wrinkles while your garments are traveling from one hanger to another.

At the top of your suitcase or duffel bag, place your toiletry products, such as your makeup and hair tools. This will help prevent leaks and spills because you’re placing your toiletries in your bag where there is less pressure. This can also help to flatten out the top of the clothes pile, which can help zip your bag closed. 

Contact Sophie Nulph with comments at smnulph@bsu.edu.    

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