What to bring
A list of things that CTY Coordinators don't know you need.
Contents
General
The items here are generally universal; they may not apply to a site or two. Please do not repost this list for individual sites.
Room Stuff
- Flashlight - forbidden at some sites (CAR)
- Scissors - can be considered as a weapon at some sites and are therefore contraband (CAR)
- Snacks (no peanuts or peanut products at LAN, LOS, or JHU!)
- Ramen and other instant noodles
- Plastic forks (unless you plan on robbing the dining hall) and a microwaveable bowl (Ramen containers are NOT microwaveable)
- Ramen and other instant noodles
- Vitamin water, energy drinks (now forbidden at CAR, LAN, LOS, BRI, SAR, SUN, and EST), other drinks
- Bring enough clothing so you don't have to do laundry
Traditionish Stuff
- Duct tape
- Glowsticks - for raving
- Lanyard-type objects for stringraving (shoelaces are recommended)
- Rubik's Cube
- Clothes to lend for cross-dress days
- Old CTY lanyards
- Black lanyard -- be careful of confiscation (white Lanyard if you were lucky enough to get one in 2007)
- A copy of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- Fishnets, corsets, and other RHPS items
- Masking tape/duct tape for Love Tape Day
- Sharpie, if you want people to sign your shirt
Other Stuff
- Camera(s)
- Deck of cards and Poker chips - forbidden but unenforced at CAR
- iPod and speakers
- Batteries for any MP3 player(s)/CD player(s) you bring
- Frisbees, balls, or minor sports equipment
- Permanent markers
- Reusable water bottles
- Extra batteries / charger for your calculator
- A hairbrush and plenty of hairties (for dances)
- Nail clipper
- Bubble mix
- Facial tissues
- Tide To Go
- Umbrella
- Tide Pods are great for laundry, but DO NOT PUT THEM IN THE DETERGENT SLOT. THEY GO IN THE DRUM. (This caused 2 of the washers to break in EST 16.1 and 16.2)
Lancaster
- Strawberry Kiwi Lemonade
- Snacks cannot contain peanuts; they cannot even have been made in a factory that also processes peanuts or makes peanut products. RAs WILL confiscate contraband food.
- Bathrobe and extra towels for Thursdays
- Halloween costume
- Fancy clothes for dances
- Band-aids
- IF YOU EAT KOSHER, don't bother getting the kosher meal plan. costs extra, and the KIVO has good kosher food every day anyways.
Carlisle
- Sidewalk chalk
- Assorted clothing for various theme-days
- Large beach towel for Passionfruit (Lower Quad is wet in the morning) and just for sitting on outside.
- Nail polish remover for Drag Day
- Eye makeup remover for Goth Day
- Costume/cosplay for Summerween
- Quarters for laundry (laundry should be done at least twice while there, so about ten dollars in quarters should be fine (cost per load is $2.25))
- Rain jacket or umbrella (bring with you everywhere, as rain in Carlisle is like a light switch)
- LED lamp light (technically contraband, but not really monitored. Useful for studying during free time at night.)
- LED poi (for glowstringing), as they tend to stand out more than glowsticks at meet market and dances
- Portable battery
- At least $75 worth in cash to be used at Devils Den, Walmart, etc. (not including textbook purchases)
- Glowsticks- thick for glowstringing, thin for bracelets at dances.
Saratoga Springs (Skidmore)
- Insect repellent (!!!!!)
- Fans - if you're in Howe/Rounds, then no fans are needed.
- 17" box fans fit perfectly in the windows and are highly recommended
- Extra towels/bathrobes
- Hats (especially snapbacks for Drag Day)
- Extra Clothes to give away for Drag Day
Ballerina-like clothes (for Rina Day)> RIP Rina Day- Boots
- Rain jacket
- Sweatshirt
- Expo Markers
- Rainbow items for Pride Day
- Black nail polish/lipstick for Goth Day
- Glowsticks and Shoelaces (if you want to learn how to rave...which you do)
- Love tape (White masking tape)
- Frisbees
- Swim suit or water clothes for water day
- 'Flip Flops' and closed toed shoes
- Any and all microwaveable foods/snacks
- Plastic spoons/forks if you plan on eating in the dorms
- A screwdriver of sorts for taking apart things (this is only for the daring)
Loudonville (Siena)
- Duct tape, strong string, and clothes hangers for Fairy Princess Day
- Clothes for Naughty Catholic Schoolgirl Day
- A backpack
- Snacks or change for vending machines
- Fans - Ryan Hall, the boys' hall, is cramped and has no A/C
- Alarm clock
- Long-sleeved tee and/or hoodie - the movie theater and the classrooms are usually extremely cold
- An umbrella, raincoat, and rain boots
- Lots and lots of clothes - there are few working laundry machines
Los Angeles (LMU)
- Bathing suits (and waterproof camera, if you have one)
- Bathrobe - if you get caught in the shower during a fire drill (Note: Fire Drills happen the day after they tell you they will happen) (not required with or without fire drills)
- Candy
- Clothing of many different types, mostly dressy, for themed dances - girls
- Comfortable shoes for dances - NO HEELS! They kill your feet.
- Cup of noodles (the food at the cafeteria can become pretty bad by the third week)
- Drag day outfit or clothes to lend on Drag Day.
- Girls: baseball cap
- Boys: Fake hair/ hair extensions
- Fan (electric) - Huesman or Doheny are unbearably hot; Whelan & Rosecrans are better, and Desmond is by far the best (Desmond, however, is not perfect. Depending on the year, Desmond residents may need to use a fan every day or never.)
- Flip flops that don't break easily and can be used in the showers (which, at least in Desmond, get pretty nasty as the session progresses)
- Hats
- Laundry hamper/bag
- Magazines/some form of entertainment for the weekends, in which you will have large durations of personal time)
- Masking and duct tape (for Love Tape Day, and to mark your lanyard/room card holder if you're prone to losing things)
- Popcorn (can be popped in the 4th floor lounge in Desmond)
- Sidewalk chalk - they often run out in the activity
- Some sort of casino outfit (People generally wear a black dress/suit. Some talented youth bring heels, but, as a word of advice, wear pumps if you're comfortable going up and down stairs for 3 hours in them.)
- Sunblock
- Sunglasses
- Sweatshirt (for breaks during night class, when it's freezing in Sunken Gardens)
- Tennis racket/balls (If guys, both kinds are needed)
- Towels: Beach towel, hand towel, full-sized shower towel for Last Thursday
- Your lovely self! (not required)
- xkcd
Baltimore (JHU)
- Two pairs of sneakers, or durable flip-flops -- in case [read: when] the rain soaks the Gentle Slope
- Hand-held Fans -- Because we're hot.
- Umbrella, poncho, or rain jacket -- there may [read: WILL] be thunderstorm(s) or heavy rains
- Hoodie/Sweater -- for cold classrooms
- Extra dressy clothes -- for girls, for guys, for dances.
- Ridiculously flashy clothing -- For Casino Night, and possibly Cross-Dressing Day (depends on how you want to dress for that.)
- Ghost Stories
- Laundry basket/hamper/bag
- Power strip/extension cord -- power outlets may be hard to find.
- Laundry detergent, and roughly $10 worth of quarters -- for doing laundry (laundry machines take somewhere around $1.25 for the washer and dryer, however the extra-large machines take around $1.50-$1.75)
- iPhone or iPod Touch -- JHU runs a guest wi-fi network
- A non-trivial amount of spending money -- your RA group can visit many restaurants (including Chipotle, which is incredibly expensive), the local Barnes and Noble bookstore, a local movie theater, and the Inner Harbor stores over the weekends. You can also get Chinese take-out, which costs money. The Book Thing, however, takes no money (The Book Thing is a warehouse-sized store where you can get books of all genres for free. It's a bit of a walk, though.)
- Musical instruments and/or piano sheet music -- you will be able to practice during some activity periods in JHU's music rooms
- Something to do outside after lunch period -- this usually includes books, frisbees, or footballs, because you are not allowed back in the dorms between lunch and the afternoon class
- Lots of food -- just food in general
Bristol
- A lot of nice clothes for dances, Casino Night etc.
- No need for desk lamp (schoolwork isn't allowed in the dorms)
- Food (mostly popcorn, ramen, and mac and cheese)
- A lot of microwaveable food is good
- Plastic silverware and bowls for Ramen
- More underwear than you think necessary
- Tissues
- Casino night money from past sessions
- Multiple Sharpies of assorted color for t-shirt signing
- Lots of money for pizza (Domino's) and Chinese take-out for after dances and Casino Night
- Perhaps a soccer ball or tennis racquet (be careful of confiscation)
- Band-Aids because there are a lot of places for people to trip
- Bug spray
- More sweatshirts, pants and blankets than you think necessary
- The site is near the ocean so you get a lot of breeze
- The classrooms are HEAVILY air-conditioned
- Wipes if you're planning to do paint twister
- Clothes that can be torn or dirtied
Easton
- Clothes of every color for Swashbuckler (Colors/teams: red, black, white, blue, orange/yellow "Reese's", green, pink, purple)
- At least 10 pairs of underwear in case you run short before Laundry Day
- NOT a desk lamp - we don't even do homework in our dorms
- I disagree. Although we don't do homework, desk lamps are great for providing light during sleepovers/ISOs.
- Random looking clothes for the dances: neon, sea-themed, movie/hollywood, outer space, etc
- Nice looking clothes for Casino Night & Semi Formal
- Extra Money for:
- Wawa
- Bookstore trips
- Ordering Domino's/Pizza Doro/Chinese food
- Tennis racket
- Bug spray<especially if in Easton dorms>
- I SECOND THAT: there are gnats on the quad and OMG BRING BUG SPRAY
- Girls: Lots of hair products for dances
- NOTE: There is no need to bring quarters for washing machines/ dryers. As of 2008, all washing machines/dryers are free.
- Expo Markers to write on the white-board on your dorm door, or on other peoples', or even your RA. (see Illuminati wars from 16.2)
- Guys: Bring a lot of cologne and nice clothing for the dances. DONT MAKE OUT IN THE UPSTAIRS FARINON BATHROOM!
- SPOONS: Blammo is very likely, so bringing unofficial decoy spoons is a good idea.
- BRING WATER. The only functioning water fountains in Keefe are in the basement. The tap is fine to drink, however.
- For those of you taking Great Cases- PLEASE bring appropriate clothing for field trips.
Princeton
- Flashlights are not banned
- Tennis racket if desirable
- PASSIONFRUIT JUICE! There was none available in 2012
- Badminton racket
- Bathingsuit if desirable
- Dress clothes for semi-formal dance
- Your heart
- Your brain
Berkeley
- non-flashy clothes which you don't mind getting dirty
- water bottle
- tennis racket (although actually playing depends on availability of courts each day)
- spending money for the local area, thrifting etc.
- Power strip/extension cord -- power outlets are in awkward corners
- sidewalk chalk
- henna cones
Seattle
- Kleenex. Unless you want to use paper towels to blow your nose, bring some.
