If you are planning on coming back to the US during Christmas break, you should take that into
account when packing; if you have another chance to bring stuff to the UK, it may mean there is
less you have to take with you on the first flight over. But also remember that whatever comes
over, must come back (unless you plan to sell things when you leave). Leave some room for new
items you will accumulate, such as souvenirs from your travels or coursework you want to keep.
- Clothes -
It can get chilly in England and since Colleges and departments are spread throughout the city,
you should be prepared to spend a significant amount of time outside getting from one place to
another. Additionally, rooms (particularly lecture halls) aren't heated to the level that you've
probably grown accustomed to at MIT. England is damp and windy. Thus, it will be in your
best interest to have some warm and waterproof clothing. Still, you probably don't need to get a
huge parka (like the things you are accustomed to using for those Boston winters). The winter
weather in Cambridge is more like a New England fall than winter. There's plenty of rain and
mud, but snow is rare. In addition to protection against the weather, both guys and gals should
bring (or buy in Cambridge) some nice, "dress-up" clothing. This means suits and ties for the
guys and analogous dress for gals (see below for details). You will need such attire for many
different occasions, including formal halls and matriculation photos.
For guys: There are frequent enough black-tie events (i.e. events where the dress code
requires a tuxedo) throughout the year that it may be in your interest to purchase a cheap
tuxedo in the US. At about £30 a pop for a rental tux in Cambridge, it is a good investment
to buy one if you'll need to wear one more than, say, three times and it is a lot cheaper by far
to buy one in the US than to buy one in the UK (though some men's clothiers will have
tuxedo sales around the time of May Week). However, by no means will you absolutely
need a tuxedo; they are only worn at May/Spring Balls, musical performances, or society
formals. Thus, some guys will have no occasion to wear one.
For gals: Instead of wearing a different formal dress for every occasion (which could leave
you broke), a good investment for the girls is a formal black skirt or pair of trousers that you
can mix and match with different tops for formal halls. You may want to splurge a little for
May Balls as these are very fancy and elegant. May Ball gowns can be quite similar to prom
dresses so if you have a prom dress that you still fit into, you can bring that. (Though in all
fairness, you should be able to get away with wearing a knee-length gown if it's fancy
enough.) As clothes tend to be much more expensive in the UK than in the US, you may even
consider getting some bargain formal clothes at Filenes or Macy's before you leave the US,
especially because you will find frequent need for such clothes.
- School Supplies -
Textbooks are generally cheaper in the UK than they are in the US. So if you are planning to use
new textbooks during your year in Cambridge, it may be a good idea to buy them there; in
addition to sparing yourself the extra weight of packed books, you'll generally save 10-20% by
purchasing in the UK. Most courses you will take, however, do not require the purchase of
textbooks, and whatever you need (recommended reading) should be available in your
college/department/university library. However, if you already have a textbook and you are
convinced you will need it during the year, it may be in your interest to bring it with you or have
it shipped over (more on shipping later). Generally speaking, you'll find that textbooks take a
different role in the Cambridge academic system than they do at MIT—refer to section 5.3 for
more about this.
The UK uses A4 size stationary (not the 8.5"x11" "letter" size paper that is used in the US), so
don't bother bringing any notebooks or paper with you from the US; you'll want to buy all
folders, binders, hole-punchers, etc. in England. As for other random school supplies (e.g. tape,
stapler, pens, etc.), you could bring them with you from the US, but they will take up valuable
space and weight in your luggage and you can easily buy them in Cambridge.
Nearly every Cambridge departments has strict requirements about the calculators that can be
used during exams. These include CASIO fx 100D, CASIO fx 115 (any version) or CASIO fx
570 (any version except the fx 570MS). These calculators are best purchased from returning
CME students or at the department itself (though you could check e-bay or online sites, you
might get lucky). Each calculator must have an approval sticker on it from the department; check
with the teaching office to get this sticker. It's in your best interest to become familiar with using
the calculator (instead of using your TI-89 for all your examples papers work all year) so you'll
be comfortable with it for exams. For more information on approved calculators, visit http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2004-05/weekly/6005/28.html.
For places to buy school supplies, refer to section 3.2. - Appliances and electronics -
England runs on 240V and 50 Hz, which basically means that most of your electronic devices
from the US can't be used in the UK. You can get a voltage converter, but these tend to be
expensive (approximately $40 in the US) and a bit cumbersome. In addition to the difference in
voltage and frequency, British electrical outlets have a different shape than American ones,
which means even if you want to try your American appliance on the British voltage, you won't
be able to fit the plug into the wall. (Note the difference between a plug adaptor and a voltage
converter. Adaptors simply serve to change the shape of the plug. Voltage converters, on the
other hand, actually make it possible to use electronics that aren't designed to run on 240V/50Hz
voltage. A single voltage converter will be able to be used in most countries - including the rest
of Europe, if you plan on traveling.) Digital cameras and laptops usually have built in voltage
converters (i.e they can run on either 110 or 240 V), so all you will need is a plug adaptor, which
is pretty cheap (less than £5) and can be easily purchased in Cambridge. For relatively simple,
run-of-the-mill electronics, like alarm clocks or irons, your best bet is to buy them in the UK,
because they'll be heavy and difficult to pack and even if you do bring them, you'll need to buy a
voltage converter to use them in the UK. For places to purchase electronics, refer to section 3.2.
- Computers -
If you have a laptop, that is probably the easiest solution for your computing needs during time
in Cambridge. However, if you do not have a laptop, you do not need to get one to bring to
Cambridge. There are computer labs in various places at Cambridge (including in your College
and department), and these labs will be sufficient to allow you to complete any work that
requires computers. For more details about computing in Cambridge, see section 2.5. If you do
bring a laptop, you probably won't need a voltage converter, but you will need a plug adapter (as
described above). - Random essentials -
It is advisable to buy dishes, utensils and kettles in Cambridge, because they are cumbersome,
heavy, and too fragile to pack. Also, since you are probably only going to need one or two sets,
it won't be that expensive to purchase. (For information about where to buy them in Cambridge,
see the section 3.2 below.) Some kitchens in your College will already have utensils, dishes,
etc., so you might not even need to buy any.
It may be a good idea to purchase a U-Lock and bike lights in the US. These are absolutely
necessary if you have a bike in the UK, as many students do, and they will probably be cheaper
in the US than in the UK. (For more about bikes and getting around Cambridge, see section 2.6.)
If you don't have bike lights and you are caught biking in Cambridge past sundown, you will be
fined. If you don't have a lock, your bike will possibly (or probably) get stolen. Buying a strong
lock in the US will save you a good bit of money, compared to waiting to buy it at Cambridge.
Getting student ID's (an International Student ID card or a National Union of Students (NUS)
card), a Young Person's Railcard, ID badges for working at May Balls, and various other things
you might end up doing while at Cambridge require you to have several passport-sized photos.
They don't need to be exact and perfectly sized to the US passport photo standards, and around
rail stations, airports, and a few shops in Cambridge, you'll find photo booths where you can get
a set of these photos at around £5 for 4 photos. It'd probably be a good idea (and not take up too
much extra luggage space) to bring along a sheet (6-8) of these sized photos if you can print
them out on photo-quality paper. Having a few on hand when you arrive in Cambridge will be
able to save you the hassle of finding a working photo machine/store, and the cost of buying
them.
You won't find medicine brands such as Advil, Nyquil, and Tylenol in the UK. Unless you are
familiar with the ingredients of the medicine you take, you might want to bring the brands you
trust or be prepared to look them up. (One note: Nurofen is Ibuprofen.) Then again, they have all
of the same types of products in the UK that you find in the US and you can always ask friends
or classmates what is what, so you don't need to stock up on medicines before heading to
Cambridge