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Student and mother pushing load of boxes for move-in day

What to Bring and What Not to 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.

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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!

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.

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

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.

Masks

To be prepared for any adjustments to Clark COVID protocols, bring KN-95 or N-95 masks.

Go Bag

This travel bag should be easily accessible and ready-to-go if a student needs to temporarily relocate to quarantine or isolation housing for five days:

  • Backpack or duffel bag
  • Clothing and footwear for three days
  • Prescriptions medications: a five-day supply (all prescription medication should be stored in the original prescription bottles as provided by your pharmacist)
  • Clark OneCard ID Card, health insurance and/or medical card, and a credit/debit card
  • All academic supplies: schoolwork, textbooks, academic supplies, calculator, etc.
  • Computer with appropriate cables and headphones/ear buds
  • Cell Phone with charging cable and plug
  • Pulse oximeter (optional – not required)
  • Thermometer
  • Toiletry kit and personal hygiene products
  • Over-the-counter medications: a five-day supply of vitamins, pain-relievers, cough suppressants, etc.
  • Towel and washcloth
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Tissues
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Snacks
  • Laundry detergent/pods
  • Disinfecting wipes
  • Additional face masks
  • Emergency contact information for family members and health care providers

Students are encouraged to speak with their health care provider to determine what, if any supplements (pain-relievers, cough medicine, etc.) should be included in their go bag.

Additional Cleaning Supplies and Hand Sanitizer

Cleaning occurs throughout the buildings on campus. However, students may want to bring additional soap, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, or cleaning supplies for their individual needs.

On-Campus Laundry Rooms

Wondering how to use the campus laundry rooms, including equipment and associated technologies?
View instructions

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.

Report a Laundry Machine Issue

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:

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.

Check out collegeboxes.com

Settling into your new home just got easier thanks to Collegiate Concepts!  Rent your own MicroFridge through Collegiate Concepts and we deliver it to your room before you arrive on campus. This MicroFridge Unit  by Danby has been approved by Clark University for use in all residential communities. Microfridges are combination microwave/fridge units; they are the only microwaves permitted in the residence halls. It has a true zero degree freezer and only one plug to the wall to save on outlet space. Details will be sent out for a hassle-free pickup at the end of the year, you will simply clean the unit and leave it in your room and we will do the rest. No need to buy a mini fridge and struggle to find a home for it after the year is over, we’ve got you covered!

For Fall 2023, the companies priority order deadline date is Monday August 1, 2023. They will still take orders after that date but ordering by August 1, 2023 guarantees that the unit is in your student’s room on Move-In day.

Rent a microfridge

 

Frequently Asked Questions about MicroFridge Rentals

  • How do I get ahold of someone if my fridge needs maintenance and/or I experience issues?

Make a service request on the Collegiate Concepts website. There is a link at the top of the page that says “Submit a Service Request

  • I just changed rooms during a room change process- how do I get help to move the fridge moved into my new space? 

Make a service request on the Collegiate Concepts website. There is a link at the top of the page that says “Submit a Service Request

  • What if I want to transfer my rental fridge to another student?

 Start the transfer process by filling out this form.

  • What if I want to cancel my fridge rental ?

Please email the sales team at: sales@collegefridge.com  

For your convenience, we have partnered with Dormify to provide an easy, affordable way to purchase Twin XL bedding, dorm storage solutions, and everything else you’ll need (and want) for your new home away from home. Please visit https://www.dormroom.com/clk to get move-in day ready and create your dream dorm!

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.

Visit GradGuard

Contact Information

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