With winter break fast approaching, it can be overwhelming to simultaneously study for finals and plan what you will do with the next class-free month. If you are traveling home, as many students plan on doing, it can be especially difficult to decide what is essential to bring home for the holidays.
What you bring home largely depends on what is “essential” to your everyday life, which varies drastically from person to person. First-year student, Eduardo Meraz, took the practical route when considering what was essential to him, saying he couldn’t go home without “[his] glasses.” Others, however, couldn’t make it through the break without their sources of entertainment; first-year, Weerapat Chanmaneewet, said “[he] will take home his PS4” and first-year, Jaryd Brown, decided he would be taking “[his] Polaroid.”
Despite the differences in types of things these students will be sure to take home, Meraz, Chanmaneewet and Brown all had the right idea: take everything of value with you when you go home or to your destination for the break.
In addition to the more fun items, there are many things you should be sure to take home over break. Bring home the clothes you may want or need to have at home; it is likely you have a limited clothing selection at home after bringing most of your clothes to campus. It is also important to bring with you any and all electronic devices you own, as your living space will be unoccupied for a period of time and it could be a bad idea to leave valuable items unsupervised. If you do not have basic supplies such as a toothbrush at home, be sure to pack one as well.
If you happen to have pets, make travel accommodations to bring them with you. If this isn’t possible, arrange a place for your furry friend to stay with a friend or with someone who is staying on campus.
If you are driving to your holiday destination, it may be a good idea to have a spare tire, road flares and other emergency supplies just in case, especially if you are traveling a long distance.