Dear college freshmen,
Your first big realization will be that home is far. Whether it’s a 30 minute drive, a 4 hours train ride for a 14 hour flight- home is far, because your new life is close. While for some, that’s exciting, for others it’s a looming dread. I am an international student from Singapore, and I too, like many of you, had to pack my bags and move continents to try and figure out how to make a strange new place a home. Given that it takes me give or take 24 hours to get home, I packed wisely- and I will help you pack even better.
1. Pictures
I know we have phones and iCloud accounts and memories in our hearts, but my favorite part of my room is my wall, stacked with pictures of the places I love, the food I miss and the people I care about. While you build something new, don’t forget to cherish the old, and pictures, postcards and mementos are a perfect way to do that.
2. Your favorite snacks, obviously
When I first moved to college, I was inundated with all the options of food and snacks I had never tried and went crazy trying it all! But then, one day I was sick and I wanted nothing more than my mum’s tomato soup. Another day I was craving the spicy indian food made by my grandmother and the granola we always had at home or the pineapple tarts I ate around Chinese New Year. Now some things CANNOT be brought across continents, but this semester, I brought with me a few of my favorite flavors that reminded me of home, and urge you to do the same.
3. Knick knacks and trinkets
Decorating a new room can be very exciting, but it can also be a weird feeling to be sleeping on unfamiliar sheets and waking up seeing the typical college dorm furniture. I would recommend bringing a few small things that serve to make your room feel more like it did at home. Whether that’s an object from your travels or a token you received at graduation, bring the little things that make you, you. And, when people come to your room, they make for great stories!
4. Cozy things that make you comfortable
This piece of advice may seem a little silly, because you can easily buy whatever you may need here, but I definitely don’t regret bringing my favorite blanket, the pillow case I have used for years and more than one stuffed animal (they’re sentimental!). If, like me, it’s your first time adjusting to the cold, you may want to feel cozy and protected with items that feel familiar to you. And like everything else in this list, they will always remind you of home.
5. Medications
This may differ based on where you call home, but personally, I grew up on homeopathy and herbal medicine, and bringing it with me made me feel far more secure when I felt sick. There are so many minor adjustments people don’t talk about like how the names of medications in different countries vary– and when you’re sick you will not want to figure out the difference between Advil, Tylenol, Crocin and Panadol (trust me, I’ve done it).
This list is absolutely not comprehensive, coming from someone who packed about three suitcases. But, it’s a starting point to get you comfortable enough to begin packing, and I hope it reminds you that you are not alone. BU is special for how much it celebrates international students, and throughout your time here I hope you find communities and people who remind you that your voice and experience is important like I have.
Feel free to reach out, if you need someone to talk to! anayaw@bu.edu