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The Ultimate College Packing List: UPenn Edition
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The Ultimate College Packing List: UPenn Edition
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Clothing

This section is probably my least specific in terms of recommendations––everyone dresses differently, so I don’t think there is one solution that works for everyone.

👆🏼 A Quick Note

My recommendations may be a bit biased since I enjoy going out and dressing up frequently, so feel free to ignore the recommendations that you feel aren’t relevant to yourself. However, if you plan on going out, I would definitely take note of my recommendations!

💡 Clothing Packing Tips

Don’t bring everything in your closet to school! My general recommendation for clothing is to bring what you wear at home (jackets, tops, bottoms, hats, etc.) and to keep the clothes you are on the fence about at home. If you find that you want something, you can always bring it back over break or have someone send it to you.
Learn to layer!! This might mean you want to bring a variety of sweaters/sweatshirts and light jackets/heavier jackets
Leave your high school merch at home. I’ve seen a few people wearing their high school sports team/club/spirit wear but it’s not very common. Along those lines, I honestly have never worn Penn gear at school (although this is more of a personal choice––I do see people repping Penn/their school’s (Wharton, Engineering, Nursing, etc.) merch on campus)
Use your luggage as storage! Since I knew the first time I was going home was over Winter Break, I made sure to pack for Summer, Fall, and Winter when I first arrived. When I got to school, I stored the out-of-season clothes in my luggage.
Bring your random spirit wear so you don’t have to buy stuff last minute!! This might include a few items under each of the categories:
Costumes (you will want a few for Halloweekend)
Headbands, outfits, etc.
Cheap sunglasses that you don’t mind losing
Sports jerseys for jersey-themed parties
Heart-themed/pink/red clothing for Valentine’s Day
Green clothes for St. Patrick’s day
Any fun pants or shirts that can be fitted to different themes!! (e.g. jerseys, angel halos, black leather pants)

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Clothes and Laundry Supplies Packing List
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Priority
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Item
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Notes
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Laundry Detergent
I recommend purchasing tide pods because it makes doing laundry simpler (you only have to bring one pod with you to the laundry room rather than a whole bottle of detergent). Personally I don’t use dryer sheets but if you do, you should get those as well.
2
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Laundry Bag
In lieu of a laundry basket or hamper, I would recommend a
laundry bag/backpack
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with handles/straps that can easily be carried up and down the stairs. Personally, I use a large canvas tote bag (which I already owned) that I can carry to the laundry room easily. I find that this process is a lot more convenient than for my friends, who let their laundry build up, have to lug a large basket up and down stairs and may even need to do multiple loads of laundry in one instance. Additionally, some friends who have left their laundry hampers on top of the machines (because they don’t want to keep carrying them back and forth) when doing laundry have had their hampers stolen!!
3
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Lots of underwear!!
Doing laundry is really a function of how much clean underwear you have left! So if you don’t want to do your laundry, then I would bring all of your underwear to school!
4
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Lots of socks
Along those lines, make sure to have lots of socks! Many of my friends also only do their laundry when they have run out of clean socks.
5
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Activewear
Depending on your lifestyle, bring as many active clothes as you need.
6
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Pajamas
Whatever pajamas look like to you, make sure you have a few pairs!!
7
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Professional wear (Suit/ Professional Dress and Blazer)
I’d recommend having at least one business casual outfit. If you are a part of a professional club, you may need to have business casual clothing. Also, you’ll want to have something to wear in case you are interviewing. Guys can also wear these suits to date nights or formals.
8
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Running Shoes
I’d recommend having running shoes at school so you can participate in active things.
9
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Long Winter Coat
It gets cold in Philly and Locust Walk becomes a wind tunnel so I’d highly recommend investing in a warm winter coat!
10
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Slippers
For walking around your room or to the bathroom and back
11
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Loungewear
If you enjoy comfy clothing, I would bring sweatshirts/sweatpants. You definitely don’t need more than a few pairs because they take up a lot of close space!!
12
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Bathing Suit
You should bring at least one bathing suit just in case you ever go somewhere warm over break or if there are tropical themed parties!
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Dress Shoes/Heels
I had one pair of not very nice heels that I wore for every date night.
14
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Party wear (Casual Suit/Short dresses)
I wore short dresses for the date nights I went to and I also borrowed them from friends. For guys, you will want to bring a suit that you might not care about as much.
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Frat shoes (shoes you don’t mind getting dirty)
The floor of frat houses are really disgusting!! If you plan on going to frat parties, make sure to have a pair of shoes which you don’t care if they get dirty and have things spilled on. I’d recommend something leather so you can wipe them down.
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"Fracket” (frat jacket)
Do not buy a fracket!! Just bring an old jacket that keeps you warm and you don’t care if it is lost, stolen or spilled on at a party/event.
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Fun accessories
There are many types of themed parties
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Jewelry
I’ve felt that Penn feels pretty secure in terms of bringing valuable pieces to school. How much jewelry you bring is up to personal preference, but I find that I wear the same pieces on a daily basis and might add a few extra accessories when going out
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Belt
Tan France says that belts should only be used as accessories, not as a utility, but I think you should have at least one!!
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Going out bag
Crossbody bags are easier to bring around when you’re going out in my opinion, but handheld ones work as well!! It’s up to you how nice of one you want to bring, but I don’t suggest bringing too many. Personally I rotate between 2
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👆🏼 A Quick Note
💡 Clothing Packing Tips
Have more clothes you want to add to the list?
Clothes and Laundry Supplies Packing List
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