What to Pack

I will only brush my teeth with Arm & Hammer toothpaste. I cannot stand anything else. So every time I fly down to the islands, I have all the toothpaste I will need for the term. A girl I knew would bring Downy drier sheets. The point is this: the shopping malls and grocery stores are sparkling clean and air-conditioned much like home but that does not mean that they are stocked the same. They will have everything you can think of needing but not necessarily your favorite brand. So if you are wedded to a certain brand of tampons or deodorant, bring enough for the term. Other than that, there is no need to worry. To the guy that brings 40 lbs. of Whey protein on the flight: we have a GNC-type store that has that. Do not waste the room and the weight. Also, you look like you work out.

You will wear shorts, shirts, and flip-flops every day. Have something nice to wear if you plan on asking someone on a date or celebrating at one of the fine restaurants. Every once in a while, their will be a banquet at the Governor’s Mansion or physicians visiting from our clinical years, so have something nice to wear for those fancy people. You will never be asked to wear a jacket, but maybe a tie. The lecture halls are freezing, and though you are now living close to the Equator, you will be glad you brought a sweatshirt. Many people also have “lecture socks” that they slip on for just this occasion. Bring a few pairs of scrubs for Anatomy Lab (you can still wear sandals). We have a nice air-conditioned gym, basketball courts, and a soccer (football) field so bring some athletic gear and your ‘A’ game. Anything made of linen or cotton is always a smart purchase.

If you like to cook, you may want to bring a few kitchen utensils. All of the dorm rooms come equipped with a stovetop, a semi-full sized refrigerator, and microwaves are becoming standard. Take advantage and save some money. I recommend bringing a medium frying pan, a pot to boil water for pasta, and a good knife that can cut vegetables or cheese. You can buy most of this at the hardware store in Grenada but you will be paying three times what you would pay at Target. If you have the extra space in your bag, you could go that extra mile and pack a George Forman Grill. Grilled cheese made on a Foreman is the medical school pièce de résistance.

Binders are expensive on the island and worth the space in your luggage to bring a few. Multicolored highlighters are invaluable when reading biochemistry and hard to find on the island. I wish I had brought more. I also wish I had brought dry erase markers for the study rooms in the library. Bring a flash drive and a modest external hard drive. Students share all of their files and useful programs with each other via flash drives or iPods. That means entire seasons of Nip/Tuck, Lost, 24, etc. Each term also has a MacDaddy program filled with old study resources like previous tests, tables, and summaries. These information juggernauts can reach 10 gigabytes; plan accordingly.

As for your course books, the school supplies you with them the first week you are here. They are stored at the base of campus and are heavy. I would recommend picking them up in an empty piece of wheeled-luggage. Opinion varies in the upper terms as to which textbooks are useful and which never left their shrink-wrap. Take advantage of your Footsteps Buddy and try to figure out which books will be most helpful for you. That said, there are some books that most people wish they had. Unfortunately, the campus bookstore may not carry them or will sell out early. Check each Class Section for suggested books.

“Does ‘two suitcases totaling 70lbs’ mean two 70lb suitcases or does it mean two suitcases, the sum of which cannot exceed 70lbs in total?” I have to ask this every time I fly, and I get different answers every time. It would be a good idea to check with the airline before packing your bags. The weight limits are constantly changing, and it would not be fun to get to the airport and have to leave an entire suitcase full of essentials for your family to ship to you.

The last time I flew, I managed to sneak 155lbs onto the island. That is two suitcases at 50lbs each and a 40lb carry-on. I was also allowed a personal item that could weigh up to 15lbs. Should this happen to you, I suggest putting your computer and books into your backpack as a “personal item.” That easily covers 30lbs, freeing up more weight for your checked luggage. Play it cool, though. If they see you slumping under the weight, they will get suspicious and make you check the bag, which will cost you some money.