Text Books: Bring any textbooks that you know will
be useful for your coursework here, that have Indian editions. Don't bring
photocopied books - one, they are illegal ; two, you won't feel comfortable
if someone sees you reading one of those; three, books are a great investment
when you learn something from them. Try getting in touch with people
in your department and find out what books you will need. Textbooks are
not cheap, but affordable if you have a stipend, and reasonable compared
to other things you'll spend on.
Music: Bring your favorite CDs or cassettes. Very Important !! However
you can get a lot of music (Indian and Western) here too but all that are not cheap.
Spices: Bring some home-made spices and your
favorite pickles (make sure they are sealed very well, and store them in
your hand baggage, otherwise they'll leak). The Indian Store is closeby,
and carries every possible variety of packaged pickles/spices, in addition
to most other things you might need, but a few home-made varieties are
not a bad idea.
IDP: Get an IDP (International Driving Permit / License)
- it helps you practice driving before you can get a driver's license,
which is almost a necessity after some time. The usefulness of this can't
be overstated (you can rent a car to practice driving, not spend money
on expensive driving lessons, not inconvenience others by asking to borrow
their car, etc. etc.)
Other documents: Bring a set of transcripts with you in case you require
them for interviews or new degree applications.
Have enough copies of your I-20, Passport and I-94 form (the little slip stapled to your passport at your port-of-entry)
You must carry the following documents while traveling to the United States:
Valid Indian Passport
Valid US Visa for the complete duration of your stay, multiple entry if applicable
Valid I-20 duly signed by you, sealed by US Embassy officials, to be opened only at point of entry into the US by an immigration officer
Before entering the US, during your flight, you will be required to fill out a white form (I-94) which you will submit to the immigratiuon officer at the port of entry. Part of the form will be stapled to your passport. This piece of document (I-94) certifies your entry into the US and mentions the date till which your stay in the US is lawful. Please note that in order to maintain eligibility to stay in the US, you need to have a valid I-94 in addition to your passport and Visa. You will be issued a new I-94 each time you enter the US. Please keep your passport, I-20 and I-94 together at all times.
Utensils: Bring a medium sized pressure cooker or
a pressure pan, as these are quite useful. If you are serious about cooking,
a few steel vessels and spoons are useful too. A spare safety valve, gasket,
and sealing ring are good with a cooker.
Clothing: The average summer temperature is
around 32 degrees C. In winter it dips to around -17 degrees C. Night time
temperatures are around 15 to 20 degrees and -1 to 0 degrees C respectively. Campus
clothing is casual. T-shirts and shorts are most commonly worn in summers.
Bring jeans (Atleast 4) and winter jackets for a mild winter. Our college has
swimming pool and jem so bring along swimming trunks/suits. Formal clothing will
be required only while interviewing for an internship or job,
and during formal presentations/conferences.
Please don't forget to bring along some traditional Indian clothing for
festive and cultural occasions. Most students bicycle to school. Traveling
outside school is either by bus or car.
Footwear: A good pair of leather shoes is practical,
as that's much cheaper in India. A pair of sneakers (sports shoes) and
slippers are a good idea to get you by the first few months. You can always
buy a good pair here later.
Medicines: If you have any special medical needs,
be aware that specialized medicines can be bought in the U.S. only with
a prescription, so you would need to see a doctor. Otherwise, just bring
small amounts of common cold/headache/indigestion tablets. These are easily
bought here as well, although it will take you some time to learn the names.
Bring all the cooking skills you can. This is more
important than you probably think (yes, we know mess grub was bad, but
try making it yourself!) See
cooking
for more details.
