Packing List for Dominica

[bulin]

Originally Posted by justdoit

9.) some alcoholic beverages....just kidding, okay maybe I'm not.

why bring it with you? just buy it at the airport...it's duty free! =P

[Dru]

I just noticed SGU has a packing list. Some of it could easily apply to Rossies, so I'll give you the link:

http://www.valuemd.com/medschoolpack.php

[Skydiver]

*Disclaimer - I've copied and pasted this thread from drnick07 at the SGU forum *

Please add or remove from this list to make it most appropriate for Dominica and Ross.
Blue Skies

Quote:
In addition to the things the school tells you to bring down, here's some stuff that i either wish i had brought down or am glad that i did. (I'm sure i'll forget something and will add more) By the way, i didn't even look at the school's packing list. Ok, actually i did and found it a bit elaborate. I packed based on what people said here in the forum.

For grocery shopping, its a real hassle bringing your groceries on the bus back to campus. The store only uses plastic bags, so forget about paper. What i did was bring down a 3000 cu. in. backpack (can hold all of my books plus rain gear) and eventually had my parents ship me 2 mesh bags. With those three, i can bring home enough food to last me 3 weeks. Trust me, trying to handle a bunch of plastic bags on the bus is not fun (although it sometimes helps you to meet vet students).

Flyswatter - works better than Netter for killing the inevitable mosquito in the room.

ziplock bags, large and small- helps for packaging food and organizing small things as well as packing snacks for lecture

Post-it notes - used to place tabs in Netter for quick reference to often-used pictures (and covering naked pictures in baby moore)

Pillow - yeah i forgot mine and had to buy one first thing

Posters - great for wall decorations (although drawings of the kreb's cycle and charts of muscles help too)

Colored pencils - great for color coding diagrams and drawing anatomy structures (if you're into that sort of thing)

radio - great when you're tired of your same old CDs and you want to hear Caribbean music (they also have radioplays at night and BBC)

Duct tape - using it and some extra cardboard, i was able to construct extra shelves in my closet (the closet they give you is about 7 ft. tall and has 3 shelves). Also works great for taping down the window shade when the sun peaks in at 7am (especially on the east side of superdorm 1). Plus, if you can't duct it..... then you might as well throw it away. The uses are endless.

Highlighters, mechanical pencils, extra leads and erasers - you can buy all of this down here, but its cheapier and easier just to bring it down.

Notebook paper - i use it to rewrite biochem notes

1 subject notebooks - i use them to rewrite embryo notes and draw anatomy structures

I would suggest a 2-2 1/2 inch binder for biochem (not 4 inch). After midterms you can just take out the first 1/2 of notes and not have to carry around that extra weight. After midterms i also remove the anatomy handouts/course companion notes that i've used up to that point and thus no need to buy an extra anatomy binder.

Folders for Basic Science Foundations and Clinical Skills handouts.

Pot, skillet (fry pan), plates, cups, silverware, bowls - i didn't bring large enough of the first 2 and not enough of the last 3. (Its a real pain doing dishes every day.) By the way, want light and disposable bowls? Use cool whip containers. Bring some lids and you can use them to store leftovers in the fridge. Don't forget a collander for draining pasta. (All of this is obviously only if you plan on cooking.) Be careful packing anything breakable. Even my plastic cups got crushed.

Dishtowel - you can buy it down here but the quality is lacking.

Workout clothes - bring a small hand towel too. Lots of people take part in weightlifting, aerobics classes, basketball, and jogging around and off campus. Too bad the gym closes at 11pm.

Small fan - if you want some wind blowing on you at night.

Blanket - The A/C actually works pretty good in the superdorms and thus what is cool during the day can feel cold at night.

Earplugs - some people use them for studying. (I just listen to music.)

Extra sunglasses - my 1st pair broke the first week so i was glad to have a backup.

Sunscreen - a must if you plan on visiting the beach and burn easily. And if you're going bald like me, be sure to bring a hat.

Rain coat - (NO, not THAT kind!) Often times the wind is blowing while its raining, so a umbrella or a poncho can be of little use, but some people would disagree.

Scrubs - you can buy them down here, but they're 40$US for a pair. Helpful for vet school too i hear.

Flashlight (torch, for those of you on the British system)- great when you get back late from studying and don't want to wake your roommate.

Bottle opener - coke/pop/soda and beer all come in bottles down here (yes, you can get plastic bottles and cans of of the first one but they're more expensive)

Laundry bag - don't forget it

Pair of jeans and a sweatshirt for lecture - especially if you're lacking in Camper's Fascia (fat)

Multi-tool and pocketknife - Don't pack them in your carry-on and only bring them if you know how to use them (or else you'll be practicing your suturing technique.) I've used my multi-tool to fix the clothes dryers, but don't tell anyone.

Jar of Vaseline (everyone down here knows what thats for) (Just kidding)

Well thats what i can think of now. I'm sure i'll add more. Anyone else care to offer suggestions?

[Liztannica]

good luck bringing all that stuff....dont bring anyting huge. you do not need a lot for an apartment...most come with everything. i just brought clothes and a few supplies....most apts should have cookware.

BRING OFF SKINTASTIC...it is expensive here...24 EC which is 10 bucks at least.

many pairs of flip flips

a great umbrella.

Ross gives you a flashlight in your welcome bag..and a crappy umbrella....the umbrella will self destruct in the gail force winds and rain in less than a month...

Yes on the laundry bag and sunscreen

A reusable waterbottle from a camping store that fits in your bag is good to bring...the water is filtered on campus and we fill up there and just bring a bottle home for the night and can wash it at home...

you will not need a sweatshirt in Dominica anywhere...or at least I have not and it is "winter" the coldest it gets is like 70 and the classrooms are nice and not that cold.

Scrubs are like 140 EC here....that is like 60 bucks so buy them and your white coat in the states.

Bottle Opener-->yes my apartment does not have one and i use the guys upstairs

I bought a plastic "fishbowl" of 100 earplugs at walgreens for 10 bucks and it was a great purchase...i allot some to my friends the library is loud as are the apartment areas.

I would just get a fan here or ship it...but you will need one

A definate yes on the pillows....the pillows here are YUK. I brought 2 pillows. Also bring queen sheets...fitted or flat. Some beds are twin but you can tuck a queen around a twin.

For the blanket I went to Restoration hardware and got a lap-sized down comforter which is small....just fits over my torso and legs....it is light and soft and covers me but does not keep the heat in. If i get cold i use sheets with it.

I would worry more about the essentials ie bugspray, pillows etc than duct tape (i dont know anyone that has that) and pots and pans (i dont know anyone who brought that) most people brought a few LIGHT school supplies, clothing and some of the items i listed above...

[Liztannica]

oh i forgot to add....you MUST bring a battery operated alarm clock..the electricity here is on a different wavelength/pulse (i dont know how to explain it) and plug-in clocks will run slow every day....so you must get a reliable battery-powered alarm clock.

[orthonut]

If you're like SOE and can't get a GF, lots of porn.


<ducking, running>


Seriously, I am very picky about my note taking stuff so I brought down all my school supplies (plus, office depot/staples/what have you are waaay cheaper than down here-I would assume it is the same situation for your place too-a highlighter is like 2 bucks down here for a crappy one)

Posters/pictures and stuff to do in your limited down time. Even if you're like Babu, you can't study all the time.

[Dru]

I've heard a light-weight hoodie or sweatshirt is good for the library when studying late at night and not moving around.

[puffin98]

In my short time here I think the best advise I was given was by an alumn who had shipped 20 boxes to himself down here of "essentials" to feel at home - He said it was the best decision he ever made and felt he had an easier time on the island b/c of it. I shipped an awful lot here (bedlinens, towels, toiletries, a few pots and pans, clothes, books bought from Amazon, pillows, and favorite snacks, cereals, canned foods, pastas, protein bars, and rice milk) and I am glad I took his advice -as my apt feels like home.

Things I wished I had brought but didn't are:
1)a printer - if you want to study from home - having to go to campus to print is a hassle and you can't even buy extra printing if you use up your 140 pages which you easily do in the beginning at least.
2) Lots of writing pads - sometimes the lectures are not on the G drive yet and not all profs make handouts - you can burn through a lot of paper quickly and it is pricey and notebooks and pads are low quality.
3) A really good umbrella - like a golf umbrella
4) Dry-erase markers for drawing on whiteboards
5) More 2" binders - I only brought 4 and could have used 2x's that.
6) An extra jump/flash drive with at least 1GB
7) A flame starter for lighting gas stoves - they don't have a pilot light on them here as they are run from propane.
8) A fan - you can buy it here but nothing like those little vornados you can get in the US that would be just right here.

[Skydiver]

Thank you for the additions

[Liztannica]

I find the binders are good for storing notes when i am done but I am on campus alot and moving my notes around from here to there so I use binder rings...Binders are a pain if you study in the library. just one big ring or two and the whole giant stack is clipped and you can flip through them all...they sell them at office supply stores....

Bookstands...they dont sell them here...bookstore is supposed to have them but they never do.

you can get matches and lighters here..i dont think they let those on the plane.

I have a 1 gig memory stick as well and it is great...my friends and i share whole movies and whole files of old minis