What To Bring

What to Pack for a Year at Gonzaga University

The following list includes both essential and nonessential items depending on your individual circumstances. Use it to help create your own list of must haves.

What to Bring

Alarm Clock You may have early classes.
Assignment Letter The letter that contains your hall and roommate assignments.
Calling Card Long Distance service is NOT available in student rooms. Pre-paid card calling plans offer the best value to meet your long distance needs, and can be purchased at numerous places within an easy five minute walk of campus or from our Mail Services location in the Student Union.With these, you may place long distance calls from the privacy of your room.
Computer The university recommends bringing a computer to campus. Every residence hall room has been equipped with high-speed data connections (ResNet Ethernet jacks), which means students can access the university network and the Internet right from their room. If you don't have a computer, there are many computing facilities on campus.
Hangers Hangers are not provided
Headphones These are essential to listening to music because the noise policy is strictly enforced.
Iron Irons are not provided.A few buildings have ironing boards, but most do not.
Laundry Bag or Basket Laundry facilities are available in each residence hall. A laundry fee is included in the semester room charge, thereby eliminating the necessity for a coin-operated system. Students must provide their own laundry detergent and other supplies. Your laundry area will be available 24/7.
Linens Bring sheets, pillows, and blankets. The majority of the beds in the halls are Extra-Long Twin beds. You may purchase sheets for these beds through the Residence Hall Association at a reasonable cost. Information is sent to new students along with the hall assignment information during the summer.
Pictures/Posters Some rooms have cork bulletin boards already in place. Non-invasive tools, such as blu-tac or poster tape, are highly recommended for placement on any interior wall surfaces. Damage from nails, tacks, tape that rips off paint at the end of the year, etc. may result in damages being assessed to you.
Recreation Equipment There are many recreation fields on campus and in close proximity to the residence halls, so bring frisbees, footballs, tennis raquets, volleyballs, etc.
Bicycles - think hard about Bicycles should be something you think hard about. We have a fabulous bicycling trail that runs through campus and over 26 miles called Centennial Trail.But due to storage limitations and our weather, we suggest that if you don't ride at least twice a week, you should leave it at home.If you do bring it, please consider using one of our bicycle storage facilities by contacting Campus Security. We have facilities external to our buildings in front of Welch, Dooley, and Crimont. In addition, we have 6 internal bicycle storage areas accessed by a door facing outside the facilities of Dillon and Corkery. These particular areas are very secure and we have had no theft from them. But we have daily theft from the bicycle racks that sit on our grounds.
Stereo/CD Player Check with your roommate. Space for such items are limited.
Telephone One touch-tone phone is in your room when you arrive, providing free local and on-campus calling service. If you bring your own phone, you are still responsible for the phone and jack that come with your room. This equipment costs the University $125. Please make sure that you store it securely for the year in your room if you use your own phone.
Toiletries & Towels For those residence halls with community facilities, you will also need a bucket or bag to transport your toiletries to and from the bathrooms.
University Documents Keep all letters, receipts, and university publications in a file folder. These are important pieces of communication about such things as closing for break, and other policies. It will be very valuable for you to collect this information to refer to throughout the year.
Vacuums We suggest one roommate brings a vacuum. We supply a vacuum to each of our staff members to check out on an as needed basis, but most staff serve between 45 and 90 residents. And when a vacuum breaks and needs servicing, we are often without a vacuum for that area for a week or two. To keep your room clean and presentable and do so when the time to clean suits you (rather than when the staff person is around to help), it's best for you to have your own vacuum.
An open minded attitude We ask that everyone live with each other for three weeks before we allow our first room changes. We are all sometimes bad about our first impressions on others or how we perceive others. Get to know each other well and try to value your new roommate for who they are. You would be surprised how they grow on you!! The world would be boring if everyone was just like you. Value the differences!


If You Bring:

Carpet Acquire one after you arrive so you know the exact dimensions of our room and your roommate's tastes. Most rooms are already carpeted. A nice throw rug sometimes enhances our carpeting but is best decided on jointly with your new roommate.
Loft Due to the limited space in the residence hall rooms, free standing lofts and other such constructions are allowed. But please remember we don't store university furniture for you. We simply don't have enough room. So your loft must accommodate the current beds. We encourage students to wait until they arrive and meet their roommates before they install a loft. Please refer to the Loft Policy and Agreement. Both roommates will need to sign the Loft Policy form prior to being authorized to build. Please do not bring your own bunk bed assuming your roommate will want such an arrangement. Almost all our own beds are "bunkable" anyhow!
Plants Consider the size of your room before you buy anything that would take up a lot of valuable space. Again, a decision best made once you arrive.
Small Appliances Bring only UL-approved appliances with self-contained heating coils and thermostatic controls. Equipment which produces an open flame or contains an open coil are forbidden due to fire safety needs. Some students wish to bring a refrigerator and we suggest the "knee high" ones. However, again, sometimes both students show up with such an appliance. We suggest you first meet your roommate.
TV All rooms have cable TV connections. Basic service is included; premium and pay-per-view are optional. Talk with your roommate about this so you don't have two televisions. Most of our residence halls also have televisions in common lounges.

What NOT to Bring

Candles Items producing an open flame are strictly prohibited.
Cooking Appliances Appliances NOT allowed include toasters, toaster ovens, hot plates, griddles, barbecues, and space heaters. All electrical appliances must be UL-approved.
Firearms/Weapons Weapons are not allowed in the residence halls including BB guns and knives with a blade over 4" long, and paintball guns, archery equipment, ammunition, etc.
Heaters, halogen lamps, & heat lamps These are not allowed because they are fire hazards.
Pets Pets are not permitted in the buildings. You may have one 10-gallon aquarium for small aquatic life if your roommate agrees.