What College Students Need to Pack
Not sure what to pack? Don't worry, we've got your packing list of materials, supplies and suggestions to bring to campus on move-in day as well as your first day of classes.
What your art school requires you to bring
Each art school has a list of materials and supplies unique to that art conservatory.
Actors
All students must have:
Gym/athletic clothing: form-fitting clothing like jazz or yoga clothing for multiple classes and rehearsals (make sure they have a lot of "stretch" or "give" and will not restrict movement).
- 2 pairs black, form-fitting athletic pants, jogging pants, runner's tights, or footless tights for Movement class.
- 2-3 black form-fitting short-sleeved and 2-3 black long-sleeved shirts (no stripes, logos, tank tops or spaghetti straps)
- One pair of rubber soled sport, athletic or running shoes. These shoes should not have been, or be, worn outside. Shoes are to be for indoor/studio use only for Movement/Combat/Theatre Dance classes.
- Hairbands or scrunchies for tying back hair
***Non-binary students should determine for themselves what they might need from either of the below lists:
Female identifying students should also have:
- Jazz shoes (1 pair of flats, 1 pair heels)
- 2 dress blouses (1 white, 1 black or gray)
- Sports bras (2 or more)
- Rehearsal skirts (1 ankle-length & 1 knee length)
- Women's character shoes (short heel)
Male identifying students should also have:
- Jazz shoes (flat) for Musical Theatre Dance class
- Dance belt (tight-fitting athletic supporter or compression shorts may be substituted) for Musical Theater Dance class
- Men's jacket & tie (necktie and bow tie)
- 2 dress shirts (1 white, 1 black or gray)
- Black dress pants/slacks
- Men's black dress socks
Directors Only:
- 2 or more Moleskin plain notebook/journal style, 5 x 8 ¼ – available on Amazon or most stores that carry office/school supplies
Other items for all:
- 1 pair of comfortable gloves with fingers, such as baseball gloves, leather work gloves, mechanic gloves, (NOT anything cotton or slippery) for Combat class
- 1 set of kneepads (optional) for personal use in Combat class, school kneepads are provided in class
- Tap shoes for 2nd year Dance Class
- Personal voice recorder or smartphone with voice recording capability or app
- Pocket dictionary or access to online dictionary (many free apps available)
- Longman Pronouncing Dictionary for Speech, Accents & Dialects and Shakespeare classes
- Arden Shakespeare Third Series – available through the UNCSA textbook rental program
- Printer for your laptop and extra ink - highly recommended
- Combination pad lock for lockers
- Pens, pencils, highlighters, two 3-ring binders, notebook or loose-leaf paper
Dancers
Dancers should read and be familiar with the Dance Handbook for Undergraduate Students.
Complete the following forms and return them to the School of Dance during registration:
- Dancer Information
- Dance Class Participation
- Release of Liability
- Release for photography, videography and cinematography
- Pilates Release
- Read School of Dance Policies
All Students:
- Stage Makeup
- Kneepads
- Face Coverings/Masks See Handbook Addendum.
All Women (Ballet and Contemporary majors):
Note: We are suspending the use of color-coded leotards for ballet ladies only for 2020-2021. See Handbook Addendum.
- pink tights
- black leotards
- pink ballet slippers
- pointe shoes (optional for contemporary)
- black footless tights or black unitards
All Ballet Women:
- Black character shoes with 1/2 or 1 inch heels
- black mid-calf circular character skirt
- pink ballet briefs
- medium-sizes "diamond" stud earrings
All Contemporary Women:
- skin-toned bra and thong
All Men:
- black tights
- white leotards/for-fitting T-shires
- black ballet slippers
- black footless tights or black unitards
- dance belts: black, white, skin-toned
- black lace-up jazz shoes
Filmmakers
Incoming students to the UNCSA School of Filmmaking are required to have a Mac computer for their class and production work, along with specific software. The School of Filmmaking has developed partnerships with Apple Inc., Adobe Systems Incorporated and Final Draft, Inc. to provide the latest technology at the best prices available.
UNCSA School of Filmmaking requires all incoming students to purchase three items:
- A MacBook Pro computer with the latest operating system;
- The AppleCare warranty (to keep your computer working); and
- Final Draft screenwriting software.
Follow the instructions below on how to get your Apple MacBook Pro and Final Draft software.
Apple MacBook Pro (with extended AppleCare warranty)
Each incoming student is required to purchase an Apple MacBook Pro with the latest operating system and Final Draft screenwriting software. Students will also be using Adobe Creative Cloud, the license for which is provided by UNCSA at no additional cost. The 14” Macbook Pro is recommended for editing. You should purchase the Apple M3 Pro model with 12-Core CPU, 18-Core GPU, 1TB SSD Storage and 18GB of unified memory.
The less expensive 14" MacBook Pro can be used also. If you choose to buy the Apple M3 model with 8-core CPU, and 10-core GPU, with 1TB SSD Storage and 8GB of unified memory. We strongly recommend adding the AppleCare Warranty option to protect your computer investment. The warranty does not cover water damage or neglect.
We also recommend that all incoming students purchase a Tripp-Lite U442-DOC 1 USB-C Docking Station (or an equivalent) to provide substantially more connectivity for their laptop (link below), as well as an external USB3 hard drive (at least 1 terabyte) with USB-C or USB3 interface, for editing and backup purposes. We strongly recommend adding the AppleCare warranty option to protect your computer investment.
https://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-Ethernet-Charging-U442-DOCK1/dp/B01N9C5RP0
UNCSA SHOP APPLE ONLINE(OPENS IN NEW TAB)
Once you have entered our custom online Apple Store for Education:
- Select a MacBook Pro portable computer.
- Select any special options to customize your computer.
- Add the AppleCare warranty to your checkout cart at the Apple Store.
Software
The MacBook Pros are not pre-bundled with screenwriting or editing software. You will have to purchase these programs separately. We have arranged for you to obtain the software at a discounted student price. Prices are subject to change.
Adobe Creative Cloud Software License
Adobe Creative Cloud is available to all currently enrolled UNCSA students as part
of their tuition and fees. Students will receive an invitation via their UNCSA email
address with instructions on how to access and/or download the apps for mobile and
desktop.
Final Draft Software
All incoming students are required to purchase Final Draft Screenwriting software.
You can purchase this software for a one-time educational discount of $99.99.
FINAL DRAFT SCREENWRITING SOFTWARE (OPENS IN NEW TAB)
Textbooks
Expect to spend $500 for required textbooks in this year. Any required textbooks will be listed on the syllabus for each of your courses. Arrive prepared for your classes by having all of the required equipment, especially your Apple MacBook Pro laptop, along with notebooks, pens and pencils.
Safety Equipment
You will need the following items to work on set safely and responsibly. These items are available in the Winston-Salem area, but you are encouraged to purchase them in your area and bring them with you.
- One pair of leather palm work gloves
- A warm weatherproof coat for any wet, late-night productions
- A weatherproof backpack or book bag
- A multi-purpose tool such as the Leatherman or Gerber tools that include a flat-head screwdriver
- A 4-in-1 screwdriver
- A few Sharpie markers
- A small flashlight or headlamp flashlight
- A pair of good stereo headphones for listening to sound on your computer
- Supply of C47s (Wooden Clothespins)
- Class 3 or higher, 32GB or 64GB SD or SDHC Media Card
- UHS-I SDXC Media Card
You can view the orientation agenda for Film Undergraduate students here.
Musicians
Music students are responsible for providing the necessary music materials and supplies for art-related study. Some items are needed by all music students, while other items are specific to a particular instrument or area of study. Below are two lists, one giving items all music students should have and the other giving representative examples of items specific to individual students.
Items needed by Undergraduate Music students:
- Pencil with a working eraser, to be brought to every lesson and rehearsal;
- Notebook(s), to be used during lessons, master classes, and other activities;
- Music (manuscript) paper;
- Some kind of datebook (either digital or paper);
- Fold-up music stand to be used during individual practice, chamber ensemble rehearsals, and master classes [this is only for brass, guitar, harp, string, and woodwind students];
- Concert dress clothes (the appropriate clothes to have will be determined by the ensemble in which you are assigned to perform); and
- Required textbooks for the theory, aural skills, and keyboard skills classes. The exact texts you need will be determined by the placement evaluations taken in July. Once you have been given your placement results, purchase the required texts so you have them for the first day of class. All texts are available through the UNCSA Virtual Campus Bookstore. (Please know the faculty are aware the cost of textbooks is significant and do everything possible to minimize the overall costs. Also understand that several of the texts will be used for all four semesters of the Foundations of Music sequence, thus providing a longer-range economy.)
Items specific to Individual Music students (representative examples):
- Supplies for your instrument, such as strings, rosin, valve oil, etc.;
- Music for your lessons, such as performance repertoire (sonatas, concerti, song collections) and etude books; and
- Any other supplies your teacher wants you to have for your lesson and master class work.
Design & Production
Please be sure to have the following items before arriving on campus and before the start of your classes in the School of Design & Production. Contact the head of your program if you have questions.
Computer Requirements
- Computer Requirements are defined by area of concentration, please contact the Director of your concentration for what might be required, with the exception of Sound Design which is described below.
Sound Design Student Requirements:
Apple MacBook Pro:
- Thunderbolt Port
- Ethernet port or Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter
- 16 GB minimum system RAM
- 70 GB or more of available storage space for Logic sound libraries
- AppleCare Protection Plan
Software: Apple LogicX available via the Mac App Store
Thuderbolt Drive:
- 500 GB minimum size
- SSD preferred by rotational HDD acceptable
- Thunderbolt cable
- Bus Powered drive, highly recommended
Class Supplies & Textbooks
Students are personally responsible for obtaining their own supplies and equipment for all classes including Production (such as drafting equipment, shop hand tools and drawing and design supplies), as well as required (or recommended) textbooks for courses. Expenditures will be heaviest during the first year, as students make major investments in equipment that they will use for the rest of their professional careers. Students not already owning some of the necessary equipment and supplies needed should be prepared to spend $500 to $750 or more during the early part of their first year. Many incoming students have questions about equipment, tools and supplies. Listed below are a number of items that, if you already own, you should bring with you. If you do not already own these items, please wait until you arrive to acquire them so that your instructors can give you guidance on the types of equipment and quality you should be looking for.
- Drafting equipment and supplies
- Drawing and painting supplies (brushes, paints, paper, scissors, etc.)
- A good drawing or drafting lamp for use in your own room
- Basic shop hand tools: One nail apron
- One 16 ounce claw hammer
- One #2 Phillips screwdriver
- One #2 Square Head drive (Prop majors only)
- One pair of pliers
- One pair of end cutting nippers
- One Architect’s scale ruler
- One 8 inch Crescent wrench
- One utility (matte) knife
- One combination square or speed square
- One 16 foot tape measure (minimum)
- One 3/8 drive ratchet with 7/16 and 9/16 sockets (Scenic Technology and Prop majors only)
- One flashlight
- One pair of craft scissors (Prop majors only)
- One pair of fabric scissors (Prop majors only)
- Pencils
- One container to keep it all in
Safety Equipment
- One NIOSH-approved respirator with organic vapor cartridges and pre-filters. (welding gas and dust filters as needed)
- One pair of ANSI-approved Safety Glasses
- Several pair of foam-type hearing protectors or head-set style ear protection
- One ANSI-approved Hard Hat
- One pair of work gloves
All new Design and Production students are required to own a NIOSH-approved respirator with organic vapor cartridges and pre-filters. This is for your safety and benefit. These respirators are designed to prevent the breathing of harmful substances. These substances include particulates, dusts, fogs, mists, sprays, smokes, vapors or gasses.
Each student will be scheduled for a respirator fitting and testing. Refer to your orientation schedule. At that time, you may purchase a 3M 6000 series mask with replaceable organic vapor cartridges and replaceable N95 Pre-filters. It is mandatory that you be tested for proper fit of your respirator and be trained in how and when to use it in a safe manner.
The cost for both the 3M Respirator and fit test is $45 ($ 20 for the fit testing and $ 25 for the respirator). In addition, the required safety glasses and hard hats are offered for sale for $10 for the set. An extra pack of cartridges and filters are available for $15 for the set. Safety glasses are $5. These items and services may be paid by cash or check only. Credit cards are not accepted. The company performing the fit testing and providing the masks is Rayco Safety, Inc., from Yadkinville, NC. http://www.raycosafety.com.
Note: If you already own a NIOSH-approved respirator and are certain you can purchase replacement filters in Winston-Salem, and can pass a qualitative fit test, you will only need to pay for the fit-testing. If you have a medical reason for not wearing a respirator, bring documentation with you to the first D&P or Visual Arts orientation meeting.
What to pack for living in a residence hall
Please limit the amount of belongings that you bring to campus. Bring no more than what would reasonably fit is a passenger vehicle. The following is a list of some suggested items – consult with your roommate(s) about who is bringing what items!
Bedding & Accessories
- Comforter
- Duvet/duvet cover
- 2-3 sheet sets
- Blanket/throw
- Mattress pad/protector (optional)
- Pillow
Desk Organization
- Desk Lamp or Clip Lamp
- Desk Organizers
- Book Light
Storage & Organization
- Under bed storage containers
- Stacking drawers
- Drawer organizers
- Hangers
- Closet organizers
- Accessory organizers
- Storage totes
Bath
- Towels/washcloths
- Shower tote/caddy
- Shower slippers/flip flops
- Toothbrush/Electric toothbrush
- Soap case
- Hair brush
- Hair care caddy
- Hair dryer
- Make-Up mirror
- Personal care and grooming items
Electronics and Audio
- Surge protector
- Laptop computer and accessories
- Ear buds/headphones
- Alarm clock
- Ethernet cable (optional)
- Portable phone charger
- Printer, paper and ink cartridges (optional)
Health & Safety
- Hand sanitizer
- Digital thermometer
- Disinfecting wipes
- Disinfecting sprays
- Cleaning cloth/brush/sponge
- All-purpose cleaner/cleaning supplies
- Hand sanitizer
- Digital thermometer
- Disinfecting wipes
- Disinfecting sprays
- Cleaning cloth/brush/sponge
- All-purpose cleaner/cleaning supplies
Other
- Plate, bowl, cup, mug, water bottle and eating utensils
- Chip clips, can opener and food storage containers
- Coffeemaker or electric kettle (No hotplates or electric burners allowed)
- Water pitcher & filters
- Laundry basket or hamper and HE laundry detergent
- Stick vacuum/broom & dust pan
- Waste basket
- Umbrella/rain jacket