Luggage
First things first, you will need some suitcases to carry all your stuff. You will most likely
have a student offer by which you will be able to carry (3 or 2) * 23 kgs/55lbs plus cabin luggage. The
most preferred brands by students are:
1. American Tourister
2. Samsonite
AT has some very good discounts at their factory outlets so it will probably end up the
cheapest of the lot. Samsonite is quite expensive. Invest in some quality suitcases. If your luggage breaks during handling at the airports, imagine the plight of all those stuff you would have kept inside!!
You will find that there are two types - hard and soft cases. You might be tempted to go for 2
soft and 1 hard suitcases but there is no inherent advantage of a hard case over a soft one. In
fact, the hard gets scratched easily during handling. Stick to 3 soft cases.
Make sure that your luggage doesn't exceed the airline specified dimensions & weight.
If you are bringing your laptop, then you need to have a provision for laptop
inside the bag. Plan accordingly and get a nicely padded and ample backpack. It is wise to bring an international converter for your laptop/mobile charger.
Documents:
Please make sure that you have all your original passport,Visa,I-20 with you ( cabin luggage).You will be asked to fill out a 1-94 form when you are about to land in the US.You will require info on you Passport,I-20 to complete this. "Have an address in the united states handy, that you need to fill in".Have copies of these important documents.Also make copies of your traveler checks(Cheques) if are planning to bring any.
Clothes and apparel:
A significant number of students may be confused what to bring, what not to.At the least you should bring
clothes for the first two weeks at least, so you need your clothes to last for at least two
weeks.Winter wear is cheaper to buy here, than bringing it form your home country.Anything and everything is available in terms of clothes in NYC.Please bring ethnic/cultural dresses of your preference as you may have some trouble finding them here in NYC.
It is generally warm outside in August, but a jacket would be nice to have, in case it gets cold once in a while.
A general guideline for buying clothes: (only suggestive ,not a hard and fast rule
1. T-shirts (round neck) : 3-4, T-shirts (polo neck) : 3-4,Jeans (stick to blue/black) : 3-4, Formal shirts : 3,Formal trousers/skirts – 2, Undergarments - at least 15 pairs (very important),Formal suit : 1 complete set (optional),Ties : 2-3 (optional),Shorts/three-fourths – 3-4,Track pants - 2-3,Swimming trunks : 1-2 (if you plan to swim after coming here),You will get a lot of t-shirts as freebies in many places in the university. With regard
to other stuff, you may need to buy these:
Towels : 1( you can buy more later here),Formal leather shoes - 1 pair , Sneakers - 1 pair (optional),Sports shoes (optional) - They are very cheap in the US. You will most probably have
a pair already,Sunglasses - 1 pair (optional),Socks - 6-7 pairs, Sweater - 1-2 good warm ones, Flip-flops - 2 pairs,Bed sheets - 2,Pillow covers – 3.
Utensils and Food items :
Depending on your cooking preferences, country of origin you may want to bring some food items/utensils you feel you may require during your stay here.Please check US Customs and Border Patrol website for more info: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/82/~/travelers-bringing-food-into-the-u.s.-for-personal-use
Medicines
These are very important since for getting any specialized medicine in the US, you need a
prescription.So,if common antibiotic medication are freely available in your home country,we advice you to get some.
Books
Unless, you want to bring your collection of books,it is not wise to load your luggage with books.You can always buy prescribed text books from your fellow Wagnerds / from the bookstore.
Packing
Don't postpone packing till the last moment as you won't find time later, and in the tension
you may miss out on some important things. Start packing early. Make sure you make a list
of all stuff you are carrying. Label all the suitcases both inside and outside with both your
home address in India and your university address. Include the phone numbers also. Make
sure you are within the luggage allowance, though it can exceed up to 1-2 kgs/3-4 lbs.
Arrival & Immigration:
Once you land in the US, you will be directed towards immigration.Here Homeland Security officers will ask you for your passport,I-20 and I-94 form(which you will fill in the flight before you land).Present all your documents and answer their questions confidently to the point.Have a contact number handy (OGS or WAGNER International Affairs) to call up if needed.Note that, they will be only available between 9:00 A.M - 5:00 P.M (Monday-Friday).In case of emergency you may contact any of WISS reps/board.You can find their numbers in the important contacts tab.
First things first, you will need some suitcases to carry all your stuff. You will most likely
have a student offer by which you will be able to carry (3 or 2) * 23 kgs/55lbs plus cabin luggage. The
most preferred brands by students are:
1. American Tourister
2. Samsonite
AT has some very good discounts at their factory outlets so it will probably end up the
cheapest of the lot. Samsonite is quite expensive. Invest in some quality suitcases. If your luggage breaks during handling at the airports, imagine the plight of all those stuff you would have kept inside!!
You will find that there are two types - hard and soft cases. You might be tempted to go for 2
soft and 1 hard suitcases but there is no inherent advantage of a hard case over a soft one. In
fact, the hard gets scratched easily during handling. Stick to 3 soft cases.
Make sure that your luggage doesn't exceed the airline specified dimensions & weight.
If you are bringing your laptop, then you need to have a provision for laptop
inside the bag. Plan accordingly and get a nicely padded and ample backpack. It is wise to bring an international converter for your laptop/mobile charger.
Documents:
Please make sure that you have all your original passport,Visa,I-20 with you ( cabin luggage).You will be asked to fill out a 1-94 form when you are about to land in the US.You will require info on you Passport,I-20 to complete this. "Have an address in the united states handy, that you need to fill in".Have copies of these important documents.Also make copies of your traveler checks(Cheques) if are planning to bring any.
Clothes and apparel:
A significant number of students may be confused what to bring, what not to.At the least you should bring
clothes for the first two weeks at least, so you need your clothes to last for at least two
weeks.Winter wear is cheaper to buy here, than bringing it form your home country.Anything and everything is available in terms of clothes in NYC.Please bring ethnic/cultural dresses of your preference as you may have some trouble finding them here in NYC.
It is generally warm outside in August, but a jacket would be nice to have, in case it gets cold once in a while.
A general guideline for buying clothes: (only suggestive ,not a hard and fast rule
1. T-shirts (round neck) : 3-4, T-shirts (polo neck) : 3-4,Jeans (stick to blue/black) : 3-4, Formal shirts : 3,Formal trousers/skirts – 2, Undergarments - at least 15 pairs (very important),Formal suit : 1 complete set (optional),Ties : 2-3 (optional),Shorts/three-fourths – 3-4,Track pants - 2-3,Swimming trunks : 1-2 (if you plan to swim after coming here),You will get a lot of t-shirts as freebies in many places in the university. With regard
to other stuff, you may need to buy these:
Towels : 1( you can buy more later here),Formal leather shoes - 1 pair , Sneakers - 1 pair (optional),Sports shoes (optional) - They are very cheap in the US. You will most probably have
a pair already,Sunglasses - 1 pair (optional),Socks - 6-7 pairs, Sweater - 1-2 good warm ones, Flip-flops - 2 pairs,Bed sheets - 2,Pillow covers – 3.
Utensils and Food items :
Depending on your cooking preferences, country of origin you may want to bring some food items/utensils you feel you may require during your stay here.Please check US Customs and Border Patrol website for more info: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/82/~/travelers-bringing-food-into-the-u.s.-for-personal-use
Medicines
These are very important since for getting any specialized medicine in the US, you need a
prescription.So,if common antibiotic medication are freely available in your home country,we advice you to get some.
Books
Unless, you want to bring your collection of books,it is not wise to load your luggage with books.You can always buy prescribed text books from your fellow Wagnerds / from the bookstore.
Packing
Don't postpone packing till the last moment as you won't find time later, and in the tension
you may miss out on some important things. Start packing early. Make sure you make a list
of all stuff you are carrying. Label all the suitcases both inside and outside with both your
home address in India and your university address. Include the phone numbers also. Make
sure you are within the luggage allowance, though it can exceed up to 1-2 kgs/3-4 lbs.
Arrival & Immigration:
Once you land in the US, you will be directed towards immigration.Here Homeland Security officers will ask you for your passport,I-20 and I-94 form(which you will fill in the flight before you land).Present all your documents and answer their questions confidently to the point.Have a contact number handy (OGS or WAGNER International Affairs) to call up if needed.Note that, they will be only available between 9:00 A.M - 5:00 P.M (Monday-Friday).In case of emergency you may contact any of WISS reps/board.You can find their numbers in the important contacts tab.