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ISA Letter

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Housing

Students Checklist

 

Suggested Things to put in your baggage

CLOTHES:

Baton Rouge has a temperate climate somewhat similar to the central and southern parts of India. Thus, adjusting to the surrounding environment should not be a problem for most of you. However, winter is usually a little chiller than expected for most new students. Thus, the following checklist is designed to make sure that you do not come unprepared.

Everyday College Wear: Jeans, T-Shirts, Slacks (1/2 sleeved shirts) for guys, Salwar-Kameez for girls

Sports-wear: Sports shirts, track pants and shorts

Formal Gatherings: ISA organizes number of events like Navratri, Diwali, Independence Day, Republic day and others where you might require full-sleeved shirts, formal trousers, suits, ties, kurta-pajama, kurta-dhoti, sarees, salwar-kameez.

Special Mentions: While the above-mentioned items are appropriate for the most of the year, it makes sense to be prepared for rain. It rains in Baton Rouge the whole year round, very frequently at times. Thus, it is always helpful to carry an umbrella or a raincoat to cover what you are already wearing.

As mentioned before, winters are a little chilly. Thus, we recommend a warm jacket over what you are already wearing. In some cases, tight inner vests help to cope with the cold weather too. Having said that, temperatures rarely drop below 0 degrees C.

N.B: Doing laundry here is not a problem at all. All apartment complexes have several laundry and drying machines. Washing and drying one set of clothes typically costs about $ 2.50. Most students do laundry bi-weekly. You can, of course, alter that time to fit your own schedule.

FOOTWEAR:

1.    Sneakers (ideal for everyday use)

2.    Formal shoes (useful for events on campus, get-togethers and presentations)

3.    Sandals or chappals (ideal for home and leisure)

4.    Sports shoes (ideal for University Recreation Center and Sports tournaments)

In addition, out of socks you put in your luggage, do include a few woolen ones to wear in winter.

OTHER FASHION ACCESSORIES:

Fashion accessories are entirely up to you. However, we recommend that you bring the basic bath accessories (shaving kit, shower gels etc...) with you. In some cases, it might be a couple of weeks till you make your first trip to Wal-Mart or any other local convenience store. Thus, it is always a good idea to come prepared.

LINEN :

2 double bed sized bed sheet

1 pillow, blanket (These can be left if space/weight is a consideration.) They are available quite cheap here. Do not get too much linen. The beds here are usually larger than the beds back home, and the bed sheets and bedspreads that you get from home fit very poorly. It’s better to buy these items here.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES:

Common stationary-Ball Pens, Pencils, Erasers, Scale, Stapler etc. can be considered, but all of these is available here pretty cheap. So it can be avoided.

Scientific Calculator is sometimes useful.

Reference books previously used will be helpful. Advisor can be contacted for specific courses you may be interested in and bring the associated textbook. Books are much cheaper in India. But the courses you may have thought of are sometime prone to change. At most times if your parents or someone else who can buy a book in India and mail it to US will work out cheaper.

Dictionary, cookbooks, recipes from mother can be of good help.

MEDICINAL SUPPLIES:

S trips of common household tablets and syrups, which will not expire within an year, are a good idea. Suggestion from your family doctor will be useful. Inhaler for those with Asthma will help.

2 pairs of extra spectacles. (Excessively expensive here)

Don’t forget the important check-ups and vaccinations like MMR, Hepatitis B, TB, Chest X-ray, Eyes, and Dental etc. Complete the health documentation that you may have to submit when you arrive here.

 

UTENSILS:

Most graduate students cook in their apartments. So you will need all the basic stuff needed for cooking. A large (for 3-4 people) pressure cooker with spare gaskets and safety valves is probably the most important kitchen item you can get. A 3 liter one should be sufficient but you might want to consider a larger size. A few steel or non-stick vessels to cook vegetables in. There is a lot of non-stick cookware available here but it is not very cheap (unless bought second-hand). Dinner plates, small plates, bowls, spoons, tumblers, knives, forks (all these either 1 or 2) cooking tongs ladles for serving, sauce pan, frying pan, strainer and Cutting board (Plastic or wooden).

FOOD SUPPLIES:

Get a couple of bags each of haldi, red chilly powder, garam masala, dhania powder, pickle bottles (preferably sealed ones),pav bhaji masala, biryani masala etc..etc.. Bring approx 1-month supply of masalas. Get tea/coffee based on need. Also bring some quantity of rice, dal, pulses etc. that you plan to cook.

All of these should be good till you can come here and go to an Indian grocery store or Walmart (which should be in a week or two after you come here.)

 

MONEY :

For off-campus housing you'll be required to pay an initial deposit (one month's rent) and first months’ rent in advance. You might have to pay first quarters Health Insurance (approx. $250). Plus, there will be initial expenses in settling down during the first month. All this can add up to around $1200 or more (Keeping on the safe side).

Traveler's cheques and personal drafts are easy to use and should pose no problem at all.

Try to bring some smaller currency like $1, 5, 10 or 20 (at least a few)

MISCALLENOUS:

·         Have a set of copies of visa, passport and I-20 in each piece of luggage.

·         Get a driving license and an IDP (International Driving Permit).

·         Check you passport for expiry dates. If it is with the next two years, it is recommended to renew it.

Optional: Some kind of Insurance from India might be helpful for the first 15 days till you get enrolled in the Health insurance plan here.

·         Get your application material if you wish to reactivate your applications at a better place for the following quarter/year.

·         Get a set of transcripts in case you apply all over again for a PhD. B.E./ B.Tech. Degree Certificate.

·         Get 2-3 passport-size snaps. Get an address/phone diary with all-important contacts.

·         Get an umbrella as it rains quite frequently here.

·         Have an RBI permit ready for the dollars you are carrying on you.

·         Get a good leather purse that has several sections of 'visiting card' size. You'll need those for the bunch of credit cards/key cards/id s etc you'll accumulate in no time here. You will definitely have 5-6 different cards in your wallet at all times.

·         Carry medical prescription for all medicines you bring. If you have glasses, get a thorough eye-check-up and get 2 extra pairs of glasses. Good spectacles can cost anything up to $100.

·         Confirm your ticket a couple of days prior to the flight directly through the airlines you are flying no matter how reputed your travel agent is. Things you should not get: Clothes hangers (you might get a couple for starters, but they are of a different size here), electrical appliances (only if necessary), blank notebooks etc. Get all kinds of first aid medicines, with prescriptions. (Actually, we never get to use them, but its good to have around.) Remember it is 110 volts ac here. So electrical appliances will not work here.

Contact the ISA giving your flight #, time & date of arrival; we will pick you up & give temporary accommodation if necessary. There is a form, which you can fill and you will be contacted before you depart from India. The earlier the information is received it is better, but you need not worry about last minute arrangements.

THE FINISH :

Once you have come to this end, we assume you have done all the need worthy before your flight. Now once you land in US, your intermediate stop before Baton Rouge will be the Customs.

As soon as you are out of the plane go straight to the immigration counter - rush from there to beat the queue. It might take 0.5 -1 hour here. Keep your I-20, passport, admission & aid letters ready. They might ask a few questions like - is this your first time in the US? Student? F-1 visa ? Which University ? Answer the questions patiently. They will attach an I-94 card to your visa.

Go to the baggage area to fetch your luggage. Pick up a cart (you get this at a machine for $1-$3) to carry the bags. Then pick up your bags as they come out on the conveyor (suitable eye-catching labels help here). If you don't get your baggage inform the inquiry section - you may have to wait 0.5-1 hour here.

Cart your baggage to nearby Customs. If asked tell them that you are a student, F-1 visa, school, dept., coming to US for the first time. If asked to open the baggage do so slowly - do not mess up the place. Do not panic and reply patiently.

Note: In most cases you will NOT be asked to open your boxes at all & will be simply waved through.

Now go & wait at the nearest exit for the guys who are supposed to pick you up. If nobody turns up after some time (say 0.5 hour) make a call (here is when the smaller currency comes in handy. Collect call can always be made if extremely needed. (At the public phone dial a '0', get the operator & ask for a collect call) to the ISA member in charge or any friends here, OR go & ask for an announcement to be made over the PA system, OR
Get a card, write your name & hold it up.

Never leave your baggage unattended. Don't go out of the airport until somebody comes & picks you up. If you have doubts about the guy who comes to pick you up, don't hesitate to ask for his ID. [All this is of course being a little extra cautious]

All that will be left is to get your University ID card (LSU ID), go to your Student advisor/advisor - register for classes.

All further information will be given through International Services Office (ISO) through their orientation programs.