Things to Bring to America: The Convenient and the Unncessary

School and all the necessary documents are complete. All that’s left is to prepare for the trip and go to America.

But on that note, what are some convenient things to bring over to America?

In order to fully answer this question, we asked current overseas students what items they are glad they brought with them, as well as things they feel they didn’t need to bring in the end.

These items are also useful for not only homestays, but dormitory life as well, so if you’re worried what to bring this post is for you!

Convenient Items to Have

First, let’s take a look at all the convenient, must-have items!

Must- Have Items (For Both Men and Women)

Sunglasses

UV Rays in Los Angeles can be very strong all year round, so a pair of sunglasses will always be useful and convenient to have. Definitely necessary if you’re coming in the summer.

Over the Counter Medicine

Of course, you can buy over the counter medicine in America, but it will be hard to figure out which one is suitable for you. Some people also feel that compared to Japanese medicine, American pills and tablets are much larger and therefore harder to take.

Slippers

Since many people in America don’t take off their shoes when they come in the house, you should bring some slippers of your own to wear in your room.

Face Wash

There isn’t a lot of selection when it comes to facewash in America! If there is a type of facewash you particularly like, it is recommended to bring it over from Japan.

Writing Utensils

While you can buy pens and pencils in America, you will need one on the plane to fill out various forms. When it comes to erasers, Japanese ones are a bit better than English ones.

A School Bag

Textbooks here can be surprisingly bulky. While any kind of bag such as a tote bag or backpack is okay, you will definitely need something to carry all your stuff in.

A Credit Card

America is a country and society with frequent credit card usage. The credit card system differs wildly from Japan in that you can use one to pay for small amounts, and you can pretty much use your credit card anywhere. Walking around with a large amount of cash in your wallet is dangerous, so it is best to just carry one credit card.

Cash

Although you can use your credit card at any shop or restaurant, for situations where you want to split bills or share a payment with someone else (such as at a restaurant) it is a good idea to have some cash on hand. If there comes a time where you have to use a coin laundry to wash your clothes, you will need coins (don’t worry though, you can always exchange cash for coins at an exchange machine.)

Sunglasses ＜br＞ Medicine ＜br＞ Slippers ＜br＞ Face Wash ＜br＞ A School Bag ＜br＞ A Credit Card ＜br＞ Cash ＜br＞ Travel Insurance

Medical care in America is shockingly expensive. Even if you’re only studying abroad for a short time you most definitely should buy into an insurance plan while you’re there!

Must-have Items for Women
Aside from the items mentioned above, the following are also strongly recommended.

Sanitary Pads/Tampons

These are probably the things you can feel the biggest difference between American made ones and Japanese made ones. You can use the American ones, but they don’t seem to be as good as the Japanese ones, so it is recommended you bring over some from Japan if you can.

Sunscreen Cream

American cream will make your skin notably whiter, and often has an SPF that is too strong. Therefore, you should bring some over from Japan, but make sure that it can protect from the sun since the UV rays are always strong year round here.

Cosmetics

While there are various types of lotion available, it seems there aren’t that many types of toners and foundation compared to Japan. You can buy some high brand cosmetics in America, but Japan has a much wider variety and selection when it comes to cosmetics in small sizes.

Underwear

You can of course buy underwear here in America, but if you’re going to wear it often it might be better to bring it from Japan since Japanese underwear is more durable (lol.)

Convenient Things to Bring (For Both Men and Women)

Travel Size Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Soap

As long as you don’t have any special preferences, you can always get these in your local area in the states. However, gathering all of these together can be difficult both stamina-wise and time-wise, so it’s convenient to have enough mini size bottles to last you a few days in case you need them.

Body Towel/Sponge

The ones available in the states are a little cheaply made and there isn’t a lot of selection….

Toothbrush

Here as well a Japanese one is perhaps better. The heads of American toothbrushes are too big and the quality really depends on the type.

Hair Styling Products

You can definitely use hairspray here without any problems, but you might want to bring any wax that you have a particular preference for since you won’t know what kind of texture the wax over here will have until you buy it.

Warm Clothes

These include long sleeve shirts, jackets, parkers, and the like. There’s a pretty considerable difference in temperature during the mornings and evenings, so it’s best to carry around some warm clothes. Schools also often have their air conditioners on at full blast, so even during the summer it is cold.

A Foldable Umbrella

Sometimes, it rains in Los Angeles. You don’t often see vinyl plastic umbrellas that you can buy anywhere like in Japan, so it is best to always carry a foldable umbrella with you just in case.

A Cash Passport

You are able to use a cash passport both as a debit card and as a means to withdraw money. Japanese bank cards (such as Prestia) are also able to be used, and if you bring that card along with a credit card it’s double the convenience!

Unnecessary Things

Shampoo

As long as you don’t have any special preference you can buy these in the states.

A Hairdryer, Bathtowels

Most host families have these available to use, but for the hair dryer you might have to share it with them or a roommate, so if you prefer to have your own you should buy one when you arrive. Similarly, you can also borrow bath towels from your host family, but if you prefer to have your own you can also buy them when you arrive. As long as you don’t have any special preferences or anything you should be fine.

Notebook

Schools here will require you to turn in many essays and other types of written homework. Supermarkets here sell basic notebooks where you can tear out paper, so feel free to buy one here.

Electronic Dictionary

You can use one on your cell phone, tablet, or laptop instead of buying one. All are viable options.

Do I Need to Bring Souvenirs for my Host Family?

You don’t have to bring souvenirs for your host family, but they will certainly be very happy if you do.

We asked various host families what kind of souvenirs they would be happiest to receive, so please go on and take a look.

The Top 5 Best Souvenirs
Host family in Los Angeles is overjoyed! 5 best souvenirs from Japan.

Summary

Actually, most of these are things you can buy here in Los Angeles.

Furthermore, depending on your area, there may be a supermarket that sells Japanese goods, so you won’t have to pack so many things when you come over!

As long as you aren’t buying any clothes that are from expensive brands, you can buy things at a price affordable to you.

If you have any further questions about bringing any kind of specific item, please feel free to contact us using the information below!

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