What To Bring

Students need to provide all personal items, bed linens and towels. Additional items that students might bring include: alarm clock, bedspread, television, computer, laundry supplies, plants, fan, eating and cooking utensils, desk lamp, stereo/radio with headphones, stationary and stamps, storage crate. Residents are not permitted to have pets (other than freshwater fish), weight lifting equipment, waterbeds, weapons, air conditioning units, microwaves, or other large appliances. Air conditioned medical suites are available in ResCo. For safety reasons, halogen lamps, toasters, hot plates, candles, or anything with an open flame or exposed heating element are not allowed.

These are just some basic things to bring to your new residence. You will be receiving additional info throughout the months leading up to the start of classes about what you can and cannot bring to campus. The Student Life and Residence Life web sites have a wealth of info available about making the adjustment to campus living, and many questions can be answered on the FAQ page.

Clothing

The weather in Indianapolis can be quite varied. It ranges from hot and humid when you arrive to campus in late summer to bone-chilling cold and snowy in the winter, and EVERYTHING in between. You will need to come prepared or be prepared to outfit yourself in the proper clothing as soon as you arrive, or you will run the risk of putting your good health in jeopardy.

You will need things like a heavy winter coat or jacket, boots, gloves, hats and raingear. You will also need lighter gear, such as shorts and t-shirts. And you will need to make sure you have comfortable pairs of shoes. Although Butler’s campus is small—few spots on campus are more than a 5-10 minute walk—you will be doing a fair amount of walking. Most of all, you should bring the clothes that you are going to be most comfortable in. There is no dress code that you must follow at Butler University.

If you do purchase clothing or shoes when you arrive, keep in mind that sizing in America can be different than the sizing you may be used to. There may also be general sizing such as Small, Medium, Large, etc. Just be aware that you may want to make sure your clothing or shoes fit well before buying them.

Money and Travelers Checks

It is never a good idea to travel with large sums of money. But you should carry a combination of cash, preferably in U.S. dollars, and travelers checks when you travel to the United States. You want to ensure that you have enough money and travelers checks to get you through the first few weeks once you arrive, just in case you are not able to immediately open a bank account. One of the more trusted sources for U.S. travelers checks is American Express. You will usually need your passport in order to cash these checks, but they are safer than carrying cash.

You also want to familiarize yourself with the currency conversions. A great source to check the current rates is the Universal Currency Converter. Also, be aware of where you convert your currency. Some money changing outposts will charge a fee or provide a very poor rate of exchange. But, if you are in need of the cash, exchange currency when and where you need to.

You may wish to open a bank account before coming to the United States. Different banks and different countries have varying rules on transferring large sums of money in U.S. dollars, so you will want to ask your bank what kinds of restrictions and fees will be imposed on such transfers.