What to bring and what not to bring
What comes in my residence hall room — and what should I bring?
Each room on campus is equipped with a bed and mattress (extra long twin), a desk, a chair, bookshelves, a closet or wardrobe, a chest of drawers, and window drapes for each student.
Students typically bring the following items with them to campus: clothing, bedding, toiletries, school supplies, dishes and other cookware, room decorations, additional storage containers.
What type of clothing should I bring?
Clark University is located in Worcester, Mass., the heart of Massachusetts and New England. Being in Worcester means the weather can be unpredictable at times. However, our summers are generally hot and humid and last into September, our falls are fairly mild (though sometimes wet), winters are cold and often snowy or icy, and spring is those three combined!
Should I bring EVERYTHING with me?
There is no need to bring everything from home with you to college. It is advisable to purchase many of your amenities once you arrive at Clark. Cosmetic items such as shampoo, soap, or lotion can be found at nearby drug stores, and school supplies can be purchased at the Campus Store, as well as at local stores.
If you are traveling a long distance, you might find it easier to purchase bedding and other items for your room once you arrive in town or buy items online. This not only lightens your load when you move into your room on check-in day, but also gives you the opportunity to see what there is in the area surrounding Clark. Many places are within walking distance; if not, you can use the Clark shuttle or Worcester bus system.
What can’t I bring?
Clark is committed to the well-being and safety of students. Therefore, certain health and safety regulations are in place for the protection of our residential population.
A comprehensive list of prohibited items can be found in the Student Guide.
Below is a sample of the items not permitted on the Clark campus:
- Air conditioners
- Extension cords or multiple adapters (only extension cords with surge protectors are permitted in the residence halls)
- Candles
- Incense
- Microwaves (unless it is part of a rented microfridge combination unit)
- Refrigerators over 5.0 cubic feet (only one small refrigerator or microfridge per room)
- Toasters/toaster ovens
- Pets (except fish are OK)
- Hot pots and electric frying pans
- Space heaters
- Mattresses (foam or pillow toppers are fine)
- Fireworks
- Oil lamps
- Halogen lamps
- Traffic signs
- Weapons of any kind
- Lava lamps
What if I need to ship items?
If you are traveling from far away to attend Clark, you may want to ship some of your belongings. You may send packages to yourself at the following address (the campus mail room will hold your mail until you arrive):
[Your Name]
Campus Box [your mailbox number]
950 Main St.
Worcester, MA 01610
The most common items to be shipped are computers, books, and clothing. Be sure that what you ship is not something you need immediately when you arrive on campus; your mailed items may not arrive at the same time as you do. You can pick up large packages in the campus mail room in the basement of Higgins University Center.
To receive your campus mailbox number, please contact the Mail Services team directly at mail_services@clarku.edu.
On-campus laundry rooms
Wondering how to use the campus laundry rooms, including equipment and associated technologies?
If you are having issues with a washer or dryer on campus, we encourage Clarkies to report the issue directly to our vendor, Automatic Laundry.
Service partners
Residential Life and Housing is committed to providing residential students with the comfort and amenities of home. To augment the many social, study, and recreational facilities on campus, we also work with established and respected higher education vendors to provide students with purchasing and leasing options for items they may want to have, but may not want to bring.
The following partner services are frequently used by our students with great service and satisfaction rates:
Collegeboxes
Clark University is in exclusive partnership with Collegeboxes so that students may ship boxes and luggage from home before move-in. Collegeboxes accepts and temporarily stores your items to be delivered to Clark when you arrive on campus. Have your belongings picked up from Clark during move-out to be stored for the summer or shipped anywhere, worldwide. Stored items are delivered back to Clark when you return.
Have questions or concerns? You can text directly with Collegeboxes support staff at 781-428-4262.
MicroFridge
MicroFridge© units are perfect for any residence hall room, or suite, and is equipped with a microwave, freezer, and refrigerator all in one attached unit. Microwaves are not permitted in the residence halls, other than the MicroFridge© unit, which is energy efficient.
Roommates often chose to share a MicroFridge©, as students are only allowed to have one MicroFridge© unit per residence hall room.
Before you move in, your MicroFridge© will be delivered to your room so that you avoid the hassle of transporting your unit, and they will also pick up the MicroFridge© unit at the end of the year once you are moved out.
All MicroFridge© units must be purchased through the Campus Specialties website, or phone at 1-800-525-7307.
For Fall 2025, the companies priority order deadline date is August 1, 2025. They will still take orders after that date but ordering by August 1, 2025 guarantees that the unit is in your student’s room on Move-In day.
Frequently Asked Questions about MicroFridge Rentals
- How do I get ahold of someone if my fridge needs maintenance and/or I experience issues?
To troubleshoot any issues with your MicroFridge, refer to this guide. For service, call 1-800-525-7307
- I just changed rooms during a room change process, now what?
You should notify MicroFridge immediately so they can update their records. Students are responsible for moving the unit to their new room.
- What if I want to cancel my fridge rental ?
All orders cancelled prior to delivery will receive a full refund. Delivered orders cancelled on or before 9/1 are subject to a $50 cancellation fee. All fees such as insurance and cleaning are non-refundable after the unit has been delivered. All orders cancelled after 9/1 are non-refundable but fully transferable.
E&R The Campus Laundry
E&R has been a leader in laundry services for over 100 years, deliverying excelptional world class service to world-class institutions. With their laundry service, you can ensure that your linens are cleaned weekly, along with your weekly personal laundry, promoting a safer and healthier lifestyle for you. E&R’s environmentally friendly processing helps save the environment by conserving 86% in water, 68% in gas, and 82% in electricity compared to using washers and dryers on campus. Additionally, E&R exclusively uses GreenEarth Cleaning for all dry-cleaning needs.
E&R has tailored their plans to allow your student to make the most of their limited free time on campus, saving them between 80 and 100 hours per school year. They offer several efficient and practical programs, drawing on their extensive experience providing professional laundry service to over 100 preparatory schools, colleges, and universities throughout the Northeast.
Sign up by Thursday, August 15, 2024, and enjoy $65 off the plan of your choice. Plus, if you opt for our LookSharp plan, you’ll receive a FREE weekly comforter and blanket cleaning.
GradGuard
As noted in our housing contract, Clark is not liable for damages or loss that occurs to the personal property of students. Examples include losses from theft, fire, smoke, water damage, or vandalism. That is why we have partnered with GradGuard, which offers an exclusive College Renters Insurance plan that is specifically designed for students.
