Things to be brought from India
2014
(NB: This document is a part of the New Student Information packet, 2014. If
you have the former, no need to go through this)
Compiled by,
ISA TEAM (2014-15)
Note: All the information provided in this document is based on our observation and some
polls conducted in Indian student community along with the information obtained from
various sources. References are sited where it is necessary. The purpose of this document
is to provide some primary information to the new students from India, who are joining TTU
in Fall-2014 and Spring-2014. ISA is not responsible for any sort of miscommunication or
misrepresentation which resulted from extraction of the information from various sources.
If you have any further queries don’t hesitate to contact editor.ttuisa@gmail.com
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President’s Message
Dear Friends,
India Students Association would like to welcome you all to Texas Tech University
and Lubbock. I, on behalf of the organization would like to welcome all the new students
and take this opportunity to congratulate you on your successful admission to Texas Tech
University.
TTU is perceived as a very successful - modern, dynamic, accessible, international
and entrepreneurial University. Students take little time in making Lubbock their home.
You would be surprised to know that about 400 Indian families reside here.
ISA helps new students with a lot of basic necessities; it also strives to make your
time at the University more fun. Our primary aim is to help the new students in settling
comfortably in Lubbock; therefore we also take the responsibility of receiving students from
the airport on their first arrival. We try our best to make this transition smooth and easy
for you. We provide clubs, sports groups and recreational activities. We also celebrate
Independence Day and thus have our ties with India. Therefore, I encourage you to actively
support and participate in the running of this organization.
I look forward to meet you all and wish you all the very best for your studies. Let the
journey which you now start be enjoyable, challenging, successful and fulfilling.
With best wishes
RaviTeja Gottipati
President
India Student Association
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ISA committee
Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Ranadip Pal (1-806-742-3533) ranadip.pal@ttu.edu
President:
Raviteja Gottipati (1-315-586-3386) president.ttuisa@gmail.com
Vice President:
Karthikeya Challa (1-806-319-0401) vicepresidentttuisa2014@gmail.com
Secretary:
Karthik Akula (1-925-858-1827) secretaryisattu@gmail.com
Treasurer:
Rohith Kotha (1-806-620-0563) treasurer.ttuisa@gmail.com
PRO:
Murari Garipalli (1-682-226-3117) pro.ttuisa@gmail.com
Activities Coordinator:
Harshitha Yaramareddy (1-806-252-9571) activitiescoordinator.ttuisa@gmail.com
Web Master:
Ankita Srivastava (1-806-252-2980) webmaster.ttuisa@gmail.com
Editor:
Varun Vijay Kumar (1-267-251-9891) editor.ttuisa@gmail.com
3
Things to be brought
This list has been constructed according to the personal experiences of people who have come here. So, may be
some important items are missing or are inadequately specified. Hence, personal discretion is highly
recommended.
Apparels
Full Sleeve Shirts
For
winterAs per
interest
Half Sleeve Shirts
For
summerAs per
interest
Formal Trousers
2
Blazer (Informal) / Suit (Formal)
Suit Recommended.
1
Tie
2
T-shirts
6-7
Jeans
4
Shorts / Cargos / Bermudas
4
Belts
2
Get one leather belt for formals and one
casual
Traditional
1
Highly Recommended
Sweater
1-2
Sweaters are good here and many layers of
clothing is important for winter
Pajamas / Night Suit
2-3
Under Garments
14-20
Towels
2
Optional and if you wish to bring one, Navy
blue / Black one is preferred.
As you go to the laundry once in a week or 2
and they are expensive here.
4
Handkerchiefs
As per
usage
Blanket (Light Weight)
1
Single Bed Sheet
2
Pillow Cover
2-4
Get full size covers, the pillows are big in
size.
Double bed sheet
2
Recommended, cause beds are of different
size.
Woolen Gloves
1
Leather & wool. You can buy them here for
approx. $5, which I think everyone does. So
it's ok to bring 1 pair of woolen gloves.
Jacket
1-2
Woolen Cap
1
Get one that covers your ears. Or better get a
Jacket with a hood.
Thermal Underwear
1
Optional
Caps
1-2
Recommended, summer here is really hot.
You can buy a comforter here, it costs 15$
Bring if you have a good one. Winters are
extreme here, you can buy good ones here
Footwear
Chappals /
Sandals
1
Floaters recommended for summer. Also you can
bring traditional footwear, matching the
traditional dress you bring.
Slippers
1-2
Formal Black
Leather Shoes
1
Highly recommended, they are very expensive
here, and you have to wear the formal shoes for
presentations / job-fairs etc.
Casual Sport
Shoes.
1
You may also buy here. Here they start from $20.
But good ones are usually around $40 - $60
Shoe Polish
1
For Formal Shoes
5
Shoe Polishing
Brush
1
Socks Black (for
Formal Shoes)
2
Socks White
12
Also cheaply Available here
Miscellaneous Items
Glasses / Contact Lenses
2-
MUST. Optics very expensive here.
3
Contact Lenses Solution
-
Check for yourself
Stitching Kit
1
Recommended for fast repairs of cloths.
Alarm Clock
1
You can buy electronic clock here starting from $5
Camera
-
Optional
Walkman
-
Optional, the electronic items are cheap here.
Recorded Music Cassettes/ Audio CDs/MP3 CDs
Highly Recommended, cause you wont get Indian music
here.
Wallet (to hold Credit Cards 1
also)
Recommended, and you get many credit cards or other
cards here.
Hangers
Don’t bring. Cheaply available
-
Toiletries
Shaving
Blades /
Cartridges
12 Available here, but little expensive.
Razor
12
Shaving
-
Cheap here, but still have something with you, as you
will be reluctant to spend immediately after coming
6
Cream
here.
Shaving
Brush
1
After Shave
Lotion
12
Trimming
Scissors
1
Tooth Brush
23
Tooth Paste
1
Comb
2
Hair Oil
2
Nail Cutter
1
Don't forget this
Talcum
Powder
-
Optional
Shampoo
-
Cheaply available, you can bring some 5-6 sachets to
last for few days.
Bathing Soap -
Cheaply available, but recommended to bring if you
use specific brand.
Washing
Soap
-
Don’t get it. Cheaply available
1
It will be hot when you come
Sunscreen
Bring as per your discretion
Epilator/Hair
removal
cream/Hair
dryer
7
Cooking Utensils
: Be sure that all vessels are Flat-Bottomed, because you have
electric stoves here. Also the vessels with copper bottom are recommended.
Pressure Cooker 3
Liters/5 liters.
1
Bigger the better
Spare Dead Weight Valves 2
Spare Safety Valves
34
Spare Gaskets
23
Frying Pan (Non-Stick)
1
Spoons Small Size
34
Big Spoons / Spatula
2
Steel Plates / Dishes
2
Steel Glasses
2
Pakkad / Tongs
1
Kadhai
1
Big size
Utensils / Patelis
3
Medium / big Size
Microwavable Bowls
1Can buy here
2
Tea Filter / Galane
23
Tea Making Utensil
1
Knife
-
Bring good quality such as Nirlep recommended
Don’t at all bring these, you may have problems at
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airports !!! They are cheap here.
Cutting Board
1
Not recommended/cheaply available here
Cooking Book
1
Your mother's recipes highly recommended!
Cooking Groceries: Remember, All the items except the Masalas are recommended
only if u have luggage space.
Tea Powder
1kg
Tea powder and bags available here
Instant Coffee / Nescafe
-
Cheaply available. (Folgers)
Turmeric Powder / Haldi
/Manjal
500 gm
Mustard Seeds / Mouri /
Mohari / Raee
500 gm
Red Chilly Powder
1 kg
Garam Masala
1 kg
even more if u come from North India
Dhane Powder/Dhania Powder 1 kg
Jeera Powder/Cumin seeds
powder
500 gm
Jeera
-
Asofotida / Hing
250 gm
Sambar Masala
1bag
Chhole Masala
5-6
packets
Recommended, cause cholle available cheaply
and cooked most frequently.
Pav Bhaji Masala
3-4
packets
Recommended… fast to cook good to eat
Tur Dal
1 Kg
It’s a bit expensive here, so better to bring
some stock from India
May have problems at port of entry.
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Elaichi / Veldoda
100 gm
Optional
Clove / Lavang
100 gm
Optional
Papad
2-3
packets
Optional
Aachar / Pickles
-
If you bring, make sure that the packing is
good, leak proof.
Tamarind Powder / Cocum /
Tamarind Paste
1
Better to bring….
Sugar / Rice / Salt
-
Please Don't bring these at all.
Rava / Suji / Poha
500gm
This is very helpful in beginning
Stationery
School Bag
1 MUST - A Little
Expensive here
Steel Scale 6"
1
Ball Point Pen
2
Stapler
1
Refils
1
Stapler Pins
2
Box
Don't Forget these
Bonded/Clutch 1
Pencils
Punch
Plz Don’t Bring. 3 holes
punch Reqd here.
Sharpner
1
Scientific Calculator 1
Replace the batteries
without fail!!
Eraser Pencil
1
Celo-tape
1
Optional
Clutch Pencil
(0.5 mm)
1
Glue Stick / Glue
1
Recommended
Lead Box (0.5
mm)
23
Sketch Pen
-
Optional
Note books / Papers / Files / Folders
10
Do not bring.
Medicines (must bring)
Vicks (Vaporub & 1
Inhaler)
Burnol antiseptic
1
Balm
1
(Amrutanjan, etc)
Painkiller tabs like Combiflam,
Brufen.
20- They don't go waste
30
Iodex spray /
Relispray
1
For fast
pain relief
Drugs and Antibiotics (for
common fever & cold etc)
Dettol
1
B-Complex tablets
Some Band-Aids
(wash proof)
10
Vaseline and cold cream
Iodine
1
Important!
Crocin ,
Amoxyciillin,
Disprin .
1
Highly
recommended for
winter.
Optional
And all the specialized medicines that you take. And, the things we missed.
Documents (Not limited to these)
Passport / Photocopies
Leave a copy in each bag.
Admission Letter
Leave a copy in each bag.
I-20 & VISA photocopies
Leave a copy in each bag.
Credentials
Leave a copy in each bag.
Transcripts
5-10
Leave a copy in each bag.
5-10
each
Leave a copy in each bag.
If you plan to apply to
other universities later
Recommendation Letters
If you plan to apply to
other universities later
GRE / TOEFL Score Sheets
Leave a copy in each bag.
Medical Fitness Certificate
Leave a copy in each bag.
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Vaccination Certificate
MMR, TB test.
Medical Prescription of all
medicines
Leave a copy in each bag.
College Leaving Certificate
Leave a copy in each bag.
(Optional)
International Driving
Permit (I.D.P.)
MUST. Sooner or later, you will
have to drive. It will help you rent
cars and also practice on friends'
cars before you get the US License
Receipts of travelers
cheques
One copy in each baggage
Enough Money
Cash with some change, try to get
some coins which you may require
to call somebody after coming here
Type of clothes depends on the habits of an individual. As far as dressing code is concerned, there is none.
Shorts and T-Shirts to the school are the ones popular here. No formal stuff.... its highly casual. Try to get
cotton stuff as the climate here fluctuates as much as you can imagine, and also, cotton tends to withstand the
extreme torture of machine washing and drying here quite well.
Whichever medicines you bring, get the prescription of everything from doctor.
You will get stationery items like pens free here. So don’t bring many of those.
About the food items, contact your travel agent as well as airline and ask them what all is not allowed. This will
save some space in your luggage, which you can utilize for some useful thing.
Books! Better contact your departmental contact provided on the ISA website for details about this.
Better take your mother’s advice on cooking items. She is the best person to decide what all you will require.
Don’t bring files from India, as the filing system is different here, with a three-hole punch.
Don’t buy any electronic item from India like iron / tape-recorder etc, unless it is compatible with 110V, 60 Hz
supply.
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Packing/Traveling Tips
Start your packing well in advance, buy two good suitcases/baggage - they should be able
to withstand a lot of mishandling. They should be as large as possible within the size
limitations (however most airlines are not very strict about baggage size). Buy another
cabin baggage (a smaller suitcase) to carry couple of spare pairs of clothing, documents,
audio player, camera, cassettes and any fragile items. This baggage is very frequently
checked at the air port, so keep the keys in an accessible place like your waist pouch or
back
pack/college
bag.
Box specifications:
2 pieces of baggage with total linear dimension (l+b+h) not exceeding 270cm (106").
Moreover the total linear dimension of each piece should not be over 158 cms (62"). The
weight of each bag should not exceed 32kg (70 lb). (As an example the Air India economy
class baggage specifications to the USA are given below. Note the specs. may be different for
other countries/airlines.)
Carry on/Cabin baggage: You can carry a bag with linear dimension not exceeding 115 cms
(45") onboard. For most other airlines the baggage specs are similar (confirm). The weight
limit on this baggage is around 8-12 kg depending on the airlines.
It is a good practice to check the weight of your baggage after fully packing. You can make
adjustments in case they are overweight/underweight. This avoids having to unpack and
remove items at the airport if they are overweight.
Things to be kept in the boxes: Copy of all certificates/documents (originals in hand
baggage) Important applying materials (SOP, recos etc) necessary books/notebooks (some
suggested books are - Clark's Tables a good dictionary/thesaurus, a booklet for units
conversion) Some stationery and related items suggested (not absolutely necessary - just for
the first few weeks) are :
o
o
o
o
Airmail covers
Scissors for cutting work
Screw driver
Medical history files
Note that sharp and pointed objects like scissors/nail cutters/ knifes are to be kept in the
big baggage and not in the hand/cabin baggage.
Things to be kept in hand baggage: Original important documents (I-20, VISA, Degree
Certificates, etc.)--- best if kept on person.
Enough money (little cash, traveler's check)
Address book/phone book (Indian and US contacts)
Any valuables (like calculator, alarm clocks etc…)
Things to survive for a week in case luggage gets misplaced (toiletries, two sets of
clothes etc.)
o A sweater
o Some medicines ( including for air-sickness),
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o
o
o
o
o ISA committee contact numbers
o Copies of your photo (passport size)
o Novel/magazines/books for in-flight reading
Things to be left at home:
o
o
o
o
o
o
List of addresses/phone numbers at which info about you can be obtained
One copy of all your important documents
A copy of all relevant parts of Medical History files
Arrange to collect/redirect mail from your room/hostel.
Arrange to apply/collect/mail your transcripts (about 20 in number preferable)
A few blank signed papers - so that your parents can be authorized to look after
anything on your behalf.
Things to be kept on person
o Some cash, coins (Get US Quarters for making phone calls after landing), traveler's
checks and tickets
o Receipt given along with traveler's check – in case you lose the TC’s
o Shorter extract of contact addresses – especially of people coming to pick you up
Some other things you might want to carry
o Novels(non-technical books/magazines, fiction, religious).
o 1 pair leather chappals, 2 hawai chappals,
o Soap (bath), toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc (slightly costly in the US - 1 or 2 bucks) .
Things to be done in the last week before the flight
Call up & find if there is any delay or change of schedule of the plane. (inform the people
coming to pick you up of any such change) Rest well - ready to face the long journey/jet lag.
Bid bye to all concerned - tell your girlfriend/boyfriend you'll be back!
Things for the flight
Keep in mind that it gets cold up there. Keep your passport and other documents safe with
you, never ever leave them around. Keep these in your carry-on.
o
o
o
o
o
o
Novels for in-flight reading
Also a sweater, it will get cold on the flight.
All original documents
Some medicines for fever, headache, cough, allergies or vomiting.
Two or three changes of clothes.
A towel and Toiletries.
Port of entry
The port of entry is one of the major cities in which you set foot in the US.
I-94:
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This piece of document is the starting point for determining your lawful status in the US
and is as important as your visa or passport. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is
automating the production of Form I-94, the document of arrival and departure from the
United States. With automation most nonimmigrant entering the U.S. will no longer be
issued a paper Form I-94 when entering the country. However, nonimmigrant will be able
to print their own I-94 from a Homeland Security webpage after entering the U. S.
Automation of the I-94 was scheduled to take place at certain air and sea ports beginning
April 30 with automation completed at all air and sea ports by the end of May 2013. After
arrival in the U.S. nonimmigrant will be able to print their form I-94 from www.cbp.gov/i94.
This is a change of procedure in getting the I-94, but all rules and uses of the I-94 remain
unchanged. While immigration inspectors will no longer give a paper I-94 to
nonimmigrant’s at air and sea ports, they will still place an entry stamp in the
nonimmigrant’s passport. Nonimmigrant still must check the stamp to be certain that it
shows the correct immigration classification (for example, “F-1” or “H-1B”) and date of
expiration (“D/S” for “F” and “J” status). Persons entering at land border posts and certain
other persons will still receive paper I-94 cards.
You can mail us in advance and we will provide you with our address, if you need. Once
you land, you will be directed to move towards the Immigration check counters. You need
to be ready with your passport, visa, I-20 and other documents. Answer to the officer in the
counter politely. As per the new regulations, you will be required to give your finger prints.
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