You have finally made the decision to go to the college of your dreams—congratulations! But, now, your next big task is at hand–what the heck to bring with you! And, believe me, you don’t need to bring your whole closet with you—I know this from experience. Your roommates and tiny closet will thank you…less is better.
DO– Bring clothes for various types of weather. While Santa Barbara can be beautiful and sunny, we also get lots of different types of weather depending on the time of year. It is usually hot and sunny until October (shorts and tank tops); but, by November, it’s a completely different story (Uggs, multiple layers, scarves, etc). During the winter and spring months, Santa Barbara gets a good amount of rain and wind, so make sure to bring items that will keep you dry and warm. This is a pretty broad topic, but the main idea is don’t bring too much of just one type of clothing—i.e., if you just bring short-shorts and bikinis or if you only bring Uggs and sweaters—you will be very sorry…and uncomfortable.
DON’T– Bring all of your favorite, nice (read: expensive) jewelry or other items. Chances are you won’t be wearing it very often anyways. Santa Barbara has a very laid back style, so your great-grandmother’s expensive gold earrings probably won’t even see the daylight—it’s better to leave that stuff at home than to risk something bad happening to it while you are away. Also, and I don’t mean to scare you, but things can/do get stolen, so make smart and informed decisions about the nicer things that you choose to bring to UCSB. Unfortunately, even if you are not wearing it out and about, it may still disappear.
DO– Bring a nice cocktail dress (a pair of heels would be useful as well). These items will come in handy at various times depending on the types of organizations you are planning on becoming involved in on campus. Whether it’s Greek life, joining a sports team, or just attending class, there will be at least one occasion where you will need to dress up a little bit. OR, you may have a hot date with a cute guy that lives next door, and he wants to take you to a nice restaurant where you need to dress a little fancier than usual. Note: Do your research before going so you know what to wear—you don’t want to be wearing a cocktail dress to In n’ Out.
DON’T– Bring any kind of T-shirt that you would workout in or use as a cozy, stay-at-home option. You will literally get a million random shirts during your first few weeks and months at UCSB, so there is no need to bring all of your various, high school spirit shirts.
DO– Bring cute pajamas that you would not be embarrassed to wear if the cute boy across the hall saw you in them! T-shirts and sleeping shorts are a good way to go (check out Old Navy or Target). However, keep in mind it does get pretty chilly in Santa Barbara during late Fall and Winter, so make sure you have sweats or comfy PJ pants too!
DO– Bring Isla Vista “going-out clothes,” such as mini-skirts, sparkly/cute tops, anything that you would consider wearing to a club. Most of the nightlife in Santa Barbara requires getting a bit more dressed up than just jeans and a top, so make sure you have a couple key pieces that you can mix and match. A black bandage skirt, lace top, and cute heels (that you won’t mind getting ruined) are a must.
It was really hard for me to decide what to bring and what to leave at home when I was packing up my life. I kept running through random scenarios where I would absolutely NEED a certain item. Nevertheless, once I got here and made it through the year, I realized I didn’t wear half of the things that I brought with me. Choose wisely, and, remember, it’s not a tragedy if you forget something at home—your parents can always send you things that you need, or this can give you an excuse to hit State Street. Also talk with your roommate(s) about borrowing outfits, accessories, etc. when you get their information. Chances are that whatever you forgot, they have—and I’m sure they’d be willing to let you borrow.