Advice from Laura: packing

One of the main things I was stressed about as a student before GLA was packing; for this reason I will be providing my extensive (and maybe excessive) guide to packing for GLA. The packing list for academy might seem excessive, but believe me it is not. Make sure you pay close attention to everything on the list!! In addition to everything on the list here are some things I would recommend bringing:

• Pictures of family, friends, and or pets (not being able to look at pictures on your phone will hit you harder than you think!)
• CD player/CDs if you have them; I almost always have music playing even just when getting ready in the morning, so my CD player is was a life saver
• Digital cameras or polaroids if you have them
• Lots of letter writing supplies (stamps, addresses back home written down, paper and envelopes), you might not think you’ll want to write to your parents or friends, but writing letters is always more fun, and more comforting, than people expect!
• Comfort items like stuffed animals or pillow pets
• Extra socks; this one sounds a bit weird, but I would definitely recommend it! You will be able to change into casual clothes after morning classes most days and it’s nice to be able to put on a fresh pair of socks especially if you’re sweaty. 
• A diary/journal can be a nice way to record your thoughts/feelings and experiences through academy 
• Snacks!! It’s always nice to have some of your favorite snacks in the dorms in case you get hungry between meals 
• Trash can; the rooms and suite bathrooms do not have trash cans - I forgot this last year and regretted it, so learn from my mistakes
  

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I would also recommend making notes of things you rely on your phone for in the next couple days before academy and think about alternatives to use. For me this includes setting timers so I don’t lose track of time, so I brought a kitchen timer with me as a student. Another thing I use my phone for is tracking my medications; for this I made a paper tracker to keep track instead and made sure I didn’t miss any. I know packing can be overwhelming and stressful, so just remember if you forget anything super important your parents can mail it to you and the RAs will be there to help make sure you are taken care of! That is all the advice I have to offer you for now; I can't wait to meet you all soon!