Packing for a year-long trip may feel daunting but not to worry! The CME alums have put together this comprehensive packing list for you:
- Clothing
- Appliances + Electronics
- Phone
- School Supplies
- Home Goods + Bikes
- Medicine
- Money
And be sure to leave some room in your suitcase for new items you will accumulate, such as souvenirs from your travels or coursework you want to keep.
Fall/Spring Clothes
The weather is similar to Cambridge, MA in September/May. England is generally rainy but lucky for you, Cambridge is the least rainy city. Expect to have sudden light rainfall but major showers are infrequent.
Temperature + rainfall averages: http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Cambridge-weather-averages/Cambridgeshire/GB.aspx
Winter Clothes
The winter weather in Cambridge, UK is similar to fall in Cambridge, MA: mild temperatures and occasionally damp and windy. Since colleges and academic departments are spread throughout the city, be prepared to spend a significant amount of time outside getting from one place to another. Some rooms, particularly, lecture halls aren't heated to the level you've grown accustomed to at MIT. Leave your biggest winter coat at home but pack lots of sweaters.
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You will need formal attire for many occasions, including formal halls and matriculation photos. Expect to get dressed up at least twice a month. Suggested formal wear include:
Dress pants/skirts: best to bring at least one or two.
Dress shirts/Nice blouses: instead of wearing a different formal dress for every occasion, bring lots of nice tops to mix and match with your dress pants/skirts.
Tuxedo/Gown: there are frequent enough black-tie events (i.e. events where the dress code requires a tuxedo) throughout the year that it may be in your interest to purchase a cheap tuxedo in the US. At about £30 a pop for a rental tux in Cambridge, it is a good investment to buy one if you'll need to wear one more than, say, three times and it is a lot cheaper by far to buy one in the US than to buy one in the UK. May Ball gowns can be quite similar to prom dresses so if you have a prom dress that you still fit into, you can bring that. You should be able to get away with wearing a knee-length gown if it's fancy enough.
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Clothes tend to be more expensive in the UK than in the US, even for British brands like H&M. It's better to bring the clothes you need with you. 2. If you go home during Christmas break, you will have another opportunity to bring things to the UK. Consider waiting until then to bring your heavier coats/boots and formal wear for May Balls. |
Appliances and Electronics
England runs on 240V and 50 Hz, which basically means that most of your electronic devices from the US can't be used in the UK. Laptops are safe to use with a basic plug converter (different and cheaper than a voltage converter). For run-of-the-mill electronics, like alarm clocks or irons, your best bet is to buy them in the UK because they'll be heavy and difficult to pack and require voltage converters to use them in the UK.
Phone
You can choose to 1) bring your phone from home or 2) buy a phone in the UK. For your phone to work in the UK, it must have a SIM card slot and cannot be a CDMA network phone. Cell phone plans are much cheaper in the UK than in the US so you will be saving a bundle. See this page for Selecting a Phone Plan.
Paper + Notebooks
The UK uses A4 size stationary (not the 8.5"x11" "letter" size paper that is used in the US), so don't bother bringing any notebooks or paper with you from the US; you'll want to buy all your folders, binders, hole punchers, etc. in England. As for other random school supplies (e.g. tape, stapler, pens, etc.), you could bring them with you from the US, but they will take up valuable space and weight in your luggage and you can easily buy them in Cambridge.
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When your College assigns you your room, it will also provide information on bedding and amenities. The department Some colleges will supply and change sheets once a week while others rent sheets. The cost of renting linens can be high, around £25 a term. A good alternative is to buy a cheaper set from the department stores in town to sell sheets and pillowcases or you can bring a set or two bring sheets with you.
Dishes and Cookware
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