Except for "must-have items" and those marked ***, many items cannot be purchased after arriving in the United States. Whether to purchase them domestically depends on price, quality, personal needs, and luggage. Wait for all factors to be taken into consideration before making a decision. Quantities are based on basic needs, without taking into account personal interests and total luggage volume. Prices are in U.S. dollars ($).
What should be emphasized is:
(1) The so-called must-have actually means that it is difficult to find here or the price and selection are not ideal, but it does not mean that it is absolutely impossible to buy. It can be said that the most necessary things to bring are various relevant documents and a certain amount of US dollars. If you don’t care about the price of other daily necessities, you can always solve them here. Especially cooking utensils, stationery, etc.
(2) Standards for commonly used items vary from person to person, and personal special needs and hobbies may be biased. For example, it is difficult to find the same standards for clothing and entertainment supplies.
(3) We focus on helping students successfully get through the initial stage of life in the United States. The economic, medical, and living conditions of freshmen will be very different one month after arriving in the United States, and more emphasis will be placed on personal characteristics. Therefore, the applicability of this guideline is subject to time limits.
(4) There are inevitably omissions in this guide. Please ask relatives and friends for more information, and consider it based on other relevant information to determine your choice. Please also pay attention to the customs and airline regulations regarding baggage specifications and weight.
In addition to the daily necessities involved in this guide, please be reminded that various documents such as transcripts, graduation certificates, I-20s, passports, and air tickets must be carried with you or placed in your carry-on luggage. Do not Random shipment. We hope that new students will contact our fraternity (facss) in time. Regarding life after arriving in the United States, we have prepared a separate handbook for new students to distribute when they arrive, and we will also organize a series of lectures.
Clothes
Winter clothes:
***One or two good quality down jackets, good removable ones, but you can be a little particular about the style, long blanket for women Not very popular. There are hunting-style or sports-type waterproof winter coats made in China, with prices ranging from $100 to $160. A set of thick and thin scarves and gloves, local price is over $15. It is difficult to buy hats in suitable styles and sizes locally. Winter in Mingzhou is cold, with temperatures reaching minus 12, 16, and 15 degrees Celsius in December, January, and February respectively. Of course you'll still be indoors most of the time.
Top jacket: Casual style is generally better. If your leather jacket is fashionable, it doesn't hurt to bring it. One or two formal suits are enough, but be aware that dry cleaning is expensive here. Women's clothing can be more casual and fashionable, such as knitwear. Although it is not common for girls to wear fashionable clothes, they are always popular.
Jeans: You can wear jeans that are of good quality and can withstand the washing machine. The prices of lee, bugle boy, levi and other brands here range from $19 to $30. Domestic cotton (whether "washed" or not) is good. Loose casual trousers are very suitable. You can bring a few more pairs, which are better without ironing, but you have to estimate whether the waistline will change a lot. A pair of woolen trousers with good elasticity are suitable for outdoor activities in winter. Required.
Shirts: You can choose “casual” ones. Generally, the price of men’s Oxford cotton is not limited to white or light blue. Beige or dark colors are also good. . Slightly thicker ones are available.
T-shirts: very common, you can bring more. The price in the market starts at $8, and the ones with printed patterns are more than $12. T-shirts are worth bringing. Prices here range from $16 to $40.
Jerseys or sweaters are the most commonly used and can be worn for most of the year.
< p>Windbreaker: Waterproof sports short windbreaker is very practical in all seasons. The local price is more than $50. Sweaters are not commonly used, and thick jacquard, solid color, and casual wool vests are better.Shoes: A pair of high-top "mountain climbing" or "snow" shoes; no need for suede, as they are too warm; brown and black casual shoes are more popular, with prices starting at $30 here; thick soles are preferred; white "Nike" and other sports shoes are very popular It’s practical. It doesn’t hurt to bring a few more pairs. No need to bring name brands. Most brands here cost $40 to $85. No need to bring slippers or overshoes for rainy days: You can bring no less than a dozen thick cotton socks. . Six pairs are available for $5~8. No nylon socks.
Hats: travel "sun" hats or baseballs are best.
Shorts: Loose shorts are popular in summer, long enough for boys to cover the knees, including denim styles, with prices starting at $15. The sporty one is also very practical. Tight suit shorts for boys are too outdated, so don’t wear them.
Sportswear: The most worthwhile to bring, because the ones you see here are often made in China but the prices are rising. There is a world-class swimming pool in Ming Dynasty. Don’t miss it, so bring swimming suits and goggles. The price of speedo mirrors here is $4~5. ***Futon (bedding, mind you) thin duvet is worth 2.2.
Quilt cover and quilt core: You can choose any set from 2.1 or 2.2. If you choose the latter, you need to achieve the same warmth. You can bring two towels and quilts. At least one of them should be thick, or a regular blanket. Two or three sheets. A thick Western-style bedspread (slightly wider than a single bed) can be used instead of sheets. Thick and easy to wash. Several pillowcases, pillow covers; pillow cores. Acrylic pillow tops here start at $5.
Hygienic products (save for one month, please note that hair gel and other items are not allowed by customs) Toothpaste and toothbrush. Toothbrushes are $2.50~5.00 each here. shaver. The voltage of the electric razor must be 110v.
Hair dryer: local price ranges from $10 to $28. The price for the most basic functions is around $10, available at your local Target or Kmart. The voltage must be 110v.
Cosmetics: The formulas sold in China may be more suitable for Chinese skin. Shampoo. Moisturizers: Mingzhou’s winters are dry and windy, and so are the springs. Face, lips, and hands should be protected. A pair of scissors; nail clippers are easy to lose, so you might as well prepare two. A bath towel. Myopia glasses, at least two pairs for daily use, are sold starting at $100 here. Contact lenses and drops. There are therapeutic devices or massagers that have proven to be effective, but they need to be tailored to individual circumstances.
Cooking utensils
***Wok: preferably with a lid. Since there are many electric stoves here, round-bottomed cooking pots are not suitable, so please choose a flat-bottomed non-stick pan. The local price is $15~30. Rice cooker (note the voltage must be 110v): You can also choose it here, the price is over $20. Cooking spoon: one is enough. Kettle or electric kettle: If you want to save trouble, you can bring a small pot (like a milk pot) instead, which can be used for both boiling water and cooking. Lunch box (necessary for bringing rice) plastic and suitable for microwave heating. Metal lunch boxes should not be heated in the microwave and should not be taken with you. Consider putting the lunch box in your school bag for easy portability. A good quality kitchen knife. A knife for peeling fruits and potatoes. chopping board. Starting around $10 here. Noodle pin, if you need to make pasta, you can bring one.
***Chopsticks: Although they are also available here, there are few varieties and most of them are square-shaped, which does not feel good in the hand.
***The schoolbag must be useful. I usually rely on it to carry books, notes, and food. It is best to carry it on my shoulders and fasten it tightly. The ones here are pretty good too, $12~20.
Pen: Except for those who love to practice calligraphy, you must bring a writing brush (with ink included), try not to bring a pen.
Notebooks: The price is very high in the United States, especially the hard-sided ones. However, when taking class notes, hard copying may not be practical for ordinary students. You can get loose-leaf paper after coming to the United States.
Calculator: Not required.
Pocket cassette player: Not very useful. But if you are eager to improve your spoken English, you might as well save it. Also helpful for taking notes. The local price is $20~28 such as sony.
Camera: You can check the advertising page of the American "Popular Photography" magazine and compare domestic prices before deciding; you can usually buy it in the United States. You don’t need to bring film, it’s cheap locally. Photo albums are expensive here and there are few varieties. Most of them are made in China. Those who need them can bring them from China.
Computer software: ***especially Chinese work software such as richwin, chinese star, twinbridge, etc. It is not recommended to bring too much. Firstly, you must pay attention to customs regulations. Secondly, many software can be found online.
Books: Bring as few books as possible, but you can bring ones you like and use for a long time, or basic materials for writing a doctoral thesis.
English Dictionary: ***Select multiple examples, emphasize spoken language, and are easy to carry. There is no need to bring a very large one unless it is required for professional use. The East Asian Library of Mingda University has dozens of bilingual dictionaries.
(But the "English-Chinese Dictionary" [1989] edited by the famous Lu Gusun is not available here.) GRE, TOEFL, GMAT and other examination materials. It is useful for changing schools and majors.
Letter paper: No need to bring it. There are many varieties of flowers and colors here.
Electrical appliances (pay attention to whether the voltage is suitable for the United States)
Humidifier: more common locally. If your skin is worried about dryness or sensitivity, you can wear it.
Iron. The price of this land is over $15. If there is space, you can bring rechargeable batteries or chargers. Prices here are slightly more expensive.
Recreational supplies
Stamp albums: The styles you can see here are OK, but the prices are high and most of them are made in China.
You don’t have to bring a tennis racket. The average price here is between $15~20.
Table tennis rackets: either hard to find or expensive here.
*** Xiangqi and Go: If you really like it and don’t worry about running out of time, it doesn’t hurt to bring it. Otherwise, I have to go to Chicago to buy it recently, and it is difficult to find a high-quality chessboard.
Badminton and rackets: Local price is $15/dozen for badminton and $20 for each racket.
cd: *** Just bring Chinese songs, which are hard to find here. Western classical music, from beethoven to bernstein, can be purchased in the United States for as low as $4~5 or even $2 per brand record. VCDs are not popular here, but you can bring them if you can use a computer to play them.
Food (please note that customs prohibits the carriage of odorous, liquid and perishable food)
Tea. If you plan to drink it in the office, bring tea bags for easy cleaning.
Others: You can usually buy them in Asian stores and Chinese stores here, but of course the varieties are limited. There are very few candied fruits. You can bring one or two cooking books, but the process of obtaining raw materials is not demanding and is simple and easy to learn. Such as microwave recipes are very practical.
***Drugs (should be considered individually based on personal medical history and medication) Some medicines in the United States require a prescription, so it is recommended to bring some regular medicines, such as gastrointestinal medicines and cold medicines. Acne medicine: There are many opportunities to eat fried and grilled spicy food in the United States, which may cause reactions, so you can prepare some special medicine. Chinese patent medicine. You can bring tiger balm, essential oil, etc.
Others
Umbrella: It rains all year round in Mingzhou. Folding umbrellas are very useful. Made in China, the lowest price is $6 a handful. A lightweight (wind) raincoat (short, sporty) or rain jacket may be more suitable.
Needle and thread: You can prepare a little needle and thread to mend buttons. Men's Belts: Over $10 here. Watches and clocks: The lowest price for electronic watches here is $9. If they are cheap and high-quality in China, you can bring them (with batteries by the way). One or two wallets and a key clip.
Sunglasses: Useful for sports and driving. The price here ranges from $10 to $30.
If you have small jewelry for women, you can prepare some if you have suitable ones. USD cash $2,000. Keep $1 in change*** $10~20 with you. So that you can rent a cart and eat fast food at the airport. A small number of small gifts with Chinese characteristics are given to others occasionally.
Appendix (This part of the content is collected from other student information channels and is not the opinion of the Association. Users are advised to check the official regulations.)
“a. U.S. Airport Entry Instructions for Foreign Countries When people arrive in the United States by plane, they must go through immigration procedures at the airport where they first land, that is, they will be inspected by immigration officers and customs officers at the airport. The former checks the passenger's eligibility to come to the United States, that is, whether he or she can enter the country; Whether the luggage should be subject to customs duties or if any prohibited items should be confiscated
1. Immigration inspection procedures
(1) Passengers are guided to the immigration inspection room. Depending on the entry visa, Wait in line for inspection. Those with non-immigrant visas should line up with nonresidents, and those with immigrant visas or green cards should line up with citizens/residents.
(2) When it is your turn to be inspected, bring your passport and i. -20 or IAP-66, I-94, and customs declaration form and submit them to the immigration officer for inspection. It should be noted that holding a passport and visa does not guarantee entry because the visa only gives the holder the right to request entry and is allowed to enter. Whether or not is decided by the immigration officer.
The immigration officer will check the "blacklist" to see if the foreigner is on the list. If he has a bad record with the immigration office in the past (such as being deported), he will be in trouble when entering the country.
(3) As usual, immigration officials will ask you some questions. The most important of these questions is to determine where you will live after coming to the United States, the purpose of coming to the United States, and how much money you are bringing. Don't be nervous, just answer calmly.
(4) After the immigration officer asks the questions, he will sign and stamp the i-20 or iap-66 and i-94 - stamp to indicate the date of entry, sign to indicate the visa status and legality again Entry period. If you hold an F-1 visa, the United States will allow you to stay in the United States for the necessary number of years to complete your studies. Therefore, the immigration officer usually stamps d/s (duration of status) on the period of stay column of the I-94 form. If you are on an Exchange Scholar J-1 visa, you are only allowed to stay in the United States for a specific period of time and must take the courses specified on IAP-66 to maintain your Exchange Scholar status. Whether you hold an F-1 or J-1 visa, you must note that your passport must always be valid for at least six months longer than your intended stay in the United States when entering the United States.
(5) The immigration officer will tear off the exit part of the I-94, staple it to your passport, and return the third page of the I-20 or IAP-66 to you. (You must immediately confirm that the information added is correct, and if there are any errors, ask for corrections immediately. Going back to request or ask questions after leaving the counter will only increase trouble). It is important to note that the I-94 is the only document proving your legal entry into the United States. Although it is just a small piece of paper, it must be kept properly together with your passport during your stay in the United States. If lost, you must apply to the nearest immigration bureau for a replacement.
2. To collect luggage, submit customs declaration forms and go through customs inspection, follow the instructions on the aisle to the terminal baggage claim area, and follow the computer screen or notices to find the baggage claim counter for your shift. (At Minneapolis/St. Paul airport, you have to go to the next luggage claim level to pick up your luggage.)
(2) Take your luggage from the carousel and carefully check the luggage number, because there are many luggage The boxes look exactly the same.
(3) There are trolleys at the airport, which cost one yuan each. You can also ask a porter to do it for you, and the tip is one yuan per item.
(4) The international airport is very large, and it is often easy to find the wrong carousel when collecting luggage. Sometimes airlines do things negligently. Don’t be nervous if you can’t find your luggage. Use the luggage registration stub on your boarding pass to check with the airline. If you still can’t find it, you must fill out a lost report form and write down the name and phone number of the airport service staff for future inquiries. (A classmate once encountered a similar situation and wanted to claim thousands of dollars from the airline, but the airline found it the next day and sent someone to deliver it home for free.)
(5) When queuing for customs inspection , you might as well choose the shortest line to queue up for inspection. Don't look around, hesitate, and don't look at another line. Clear customs quickly and change lines temporarily. Be sincere and answer all questions, but don't talk too much to avoid asking for trouble.
(6) When checking your luggage, you must present your documents. If the customs requires you to open the box for inspection, open it immediately for inspection without hesitation. If the customs officer indicates that you have passed, don’t be suspicious and immediately take your luggage and leave.
(7) If any prohibited items are found in your luggage, they will be confiscated on the spot. Your originally packed luggage will be in a mess and you will have to put some effort into putting things back in their place. But sometimes you are lucky and can pass the level quickly.
(8) Always pay attention to your luggage ID and never leave it to prevent it from being stolen by others.
(9) If the amount brought into the country exceeds US$10,000, you should proactively declare it to the customs and fill in Form 4790.
3. Changing planes If you want to change planes after entering the country, you must estimate the time and check in at the airport counter of the airline you want to change as early as possible. Of course, your luggage still needs to be checked in again. If the airport is large, you might as well ask someone to avoid taking the wrong path. After the aircraft change procedures are completed and the confirmed aircraft door is found, you may have a period of rest. At this time, you might as well walk around, stretch your muscles or go to the toilet.
" "b. Weight of baggage carried by plane
1. Free checked baggage: Passengers going to the United States can have two pieces of checked baggage and one carry-on baggage. Checked baggage: You can carry two pieces of checked baggage, each weighing no more than 32 kg, and the maximum sum of the three sides of each piece is 158 cm. In other words, the dimensions of each piece are length, width, and height = 158 cm. Note that it is not the circumference, but half the circumference. In some stores, you can buy box No. 76. The above are the regulations of Northwest Airlines, but it seems that Civil Aviation and Asiana also have the same regulations. They may be the standards of international routes. You can carry one piece of carry-on luggage with a maximum weight of 18 kg (some say 22.67 kg), a maximum sum of three sides of 113 cm, and a maximum size of 45 inches [158 cm]. It is recommended to include the following items in your hand luggage: a change of underwear, traveler's checks and cash, passport, i-20, address book, medicine, paper, pens, contact lens solution, glasses, facial tissue, cosmetics and entertainment items to pass the time. . Boys should carry a razor to freshen up their appearance at all times.
2. If you use a new suitcase, remember the characteristics, color and size of the suitcase, otherwise you will be at a loss when picking up your luggage. You can put eye-catching stickers or pictures on your luggage for easy search (some students put pictures of pandas or Chow Yun-fat on them, which is a good idea). Each airline will provide a luggage tag for customers to write their contact address and phone number. Once lost, the airline can return the luggage according to the luggage tag. ”
The definition and responsibilities of border inspections for entry and exit. In order to protect the sovereignty and security of the country, countries around the world have set up border inspections at international airports, ports, border stations or passages open to the outside world, and chartered entry and exit ports. The agency conducts inspections. The object and content are to inspect the passport documents of Chinese and foreign personnel entering and exiting the country, to inspect the means of transportation and the materials they carry, and to deal with illegal personnel in accordance with the provisions of my country's entry and exit laws. Citizens must enter and leave the country at designated ports and submit their passports and exit registration cards to border inspection officers for verification.
If you go abroad for private purposes, the current common practice is to check with the local immigration authorities before arriving at the exit port. The Exit and Entry Administration Office of the Public Security Bureau has obtained the card. After verification by the border inspection personnel, if there is no discrepancy with the requirements, the passport will be filled in and returned to the person leaving the country, and he or she can leave the country. Customs Definition and Authority Customs is a sovereign country located in the country. Agencies that supervise, manage and collect tariffs on commodities, goods, transport vehicles entering and exiting the country at external ports, and various personnel carrying items entering and exiting the country must declare themselves to the customs and accept inspection. Any concealment of declaration, prohibition or evasion Customs inspections will be punished by confiscation or criminal liability. In order to simplify customs entry and exit procedures, our country has established a red and green channel customs system for national defense.
4. The duty-free quantity and limit of luggage items that citizens can carry out of the country are within the limits and limits. The following items are allowed:
(1) Food, clothing, clothing and other daily necessities worth less than RMB 50.
(2) 2 bottles of wine and 600 cigarettes. The total value of common medicines cannot exceed RMB 200. A single species is limited to a reasonable quantity. Musk and toad fennel are not allowed to be taken out. Angelica, wolfberry, and astragalus are not allowed. 5 kinds of medicinal materials, such as ginseng, cinnamon, and cinnamon, will be levied export tax if they exceed the specified duty-free amount. Ginseng and deer antlers are limited to 200 grams each.
(4) Watches, radios, bicycles, and electric fans. One piece.
(5) One piece each of television, radio, camera, refrigerator, washing machine, etc.
5. Restricted export items
(1) Gold, silver and other precious metals and their products;
(2) Foreign currencies and other securities;
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(3) Radio transceivers and communication security machines;
(4) Valuable Chinese medicinal materials and patent medicines;
(5) General cultural relics;
(6) Other items subject to limited control by the customs
6. Exit inspection procedures for cultural relics, calligraphy and paintings. Overseas citizens, including incoming overseas Chinese, compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao, etc., if they bring them to a cultural relics store or friendship store for purchase Cultural relics owned by or owned by individuals must be authenticated by the cultural relics management department in advance, and be declared to the customs on the initiative with invoices and license certificates when leaving the country. Cultural relics purchased in domestic markets or private hands are not allowed to be taken out of the country. If you take old cultural relics out of the country, you should apply to the cultural administrative department at one of the four ports of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Guangzhou for appraisal and declaration to the customs. Otherwise, you will be punished as smuggling. If you bring paintings and calligraphy works by famous late painters out of the country, they will be subject to appraisal within the scope of cultural relics export management. Generally, when modern calligraphy and paintings are exported, customs will inspect and release them in reasonable quantities. If they are not allowed to be exported, they will be returned.
7. Inspection procedures for foreign exchange and precious metal items: RMB, checks, money orders, etc. held by overseas citizens, as well as foreign bonds, stocks, real estate deeds, and related to the handling of foreign debt inheritance, real estate and other foreign exchange assets. Various certificates, contracts, power of attorney, letters of entrustment, etc. are not allowed to be carried, entrusted or mailed out of the country without the approval of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. If you carry precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and their products, the customs will inspect and release them within the prescribed limit. If the amount exceeds the limit, it will be returned to relatives and friends in the country or paid to the local People's Bank of China for tax collection. It is not allowed to be taken out of the country.
8. The limit of the number of tax-free items for citizens entering the country and the acceptance standards for items carried by immigrants are subject to a system of separate inspection and release of three categories of items: low, medium and high-end items with different standards. Low-end living and learning supplies are limited to a reasonable quantity and can be released tax-free. For mid- to high-end living and learning supplies, 5 or 1 of them can be released tax-free.
9. Prohibited items
(1) Various weapons, ammunition and explosives;
(2) Various counterfeit currencies and counterfeit securities ;
(3) Any items harmful to China’s politics, economy, culture, and morality;
(4) Various poisons;
(5 ) Opium, morphine, heroin, marijuana and other addictive narcotics, psychotropic drugs, etc.;
(6) Animals, plants and animals carrying dangerous germs, pests and other organisms Its products;
(7) Food, medicine or other items that are harmful to the health of humans and animals, come from epidemic areas, and can spread diseases;
(8) RMB: according to currency Except for those handled by agreement, RMB foreign currency exchange certificates will be handled in accordance with relevant regulations. ”
Take a look at this! I hope you can use it.