Starting optometry school can be daunting especially when you don’t know what to expect or how to prepare. During the summer before my first year, I remember frantically trying to make my own packing list and worrying that I would forget something important. Now that I’ve completed my first year at SCCO, here’s a list of things I was glad to have or wish I had brought.
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Keychains, Stickers, and Labels
During orientation week, you will receive a TON of equipment so you’ll need keychains, stickers, and labels to identify your items. I personally ordered custom labels with my name and graduating year from Etsy, but some of my friends were also able to find cute labels and washi tape at our local Daiso store.
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Clinic Attire
For both lab and clinic, you will need to wear business casual clothes or navy blue scrubs (black and other shades of blue are also acceptable) so I would pack at least 2 outfits to wear. I’d also recommend a light jacket as lecture halls and clinic rooms may be a little chilly at times. While this doesn’t fall under the category of clinic attire, I suggest packing a semi-formal outfit for Winter Formal and end of year banquets. I had to last-minute shop for mine so don’t make the same mistake I did.
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Sunglasses, Extra Contacts, and Glasses
By the end of your first year, you will be quite familiar with having your eyes dilated by your classmates. Be sure to bring sunglasses to protect your eyes! I also found myself frequently switching between contacts and glasses due to labs and after-hours practice, so I went through my contacts pretty quickly. Bring extras or backups just to be safe!
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School Supplies
There aren’t too many things you’ll need for class so feel free to bring a mid-size bag. I pack my iPad (provided by school), charging cables, and calculator (TI-30 series required for exams). I also frequently use my mini-ruler for drawing notes and measuring things in lab.
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Personal Documents
Especially if you plan on doing a work-study job, make sure to bring documents such as your ID, passport, Social Security card or others. Even if you don’t think you’ll need it, it’s better to have them ready than have to call your mom and ask her to overnight mail them to you - please learn from my mistakes.
Hopefully this helps you feel a little bit more prepared to start your year! Best of luck and congrats!