Don't forget these important items for move-in

As students prepare for attending UNT in the fall, the Student Health and Wellness Center wanted to mention a few things they should plan to bring with them for Mean Green Move-In Day.  To help you keep track of these recommended items, here is a handy list of the items.

First, it is important to plan for proper hygiene in college, especially if you will be in a communal living arrangement, such as sharing a bath room in an apartment or residence hall, as it can reduce the opportunity for spreading infections. Plan to bring your normal body wash or soap to clean your skin, plus shampoo and conditioner for your hair. You should also plan to bring bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths - at least 2 of each - so you can trade them out for laundering. Using antiperspirant and/or deodorant will help you to avoid an awkward conversation with your roommate, friends, or significant other.  Dental hygiene is also important, so plan to bring a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss with you. As a tip, every patient who has a cleaning with the UNT Dental Office will get some of these dental hygiene items at the end of their appointment.

Next, we recommend students bring some home care items with them to college.  These are non-prescription items that can provide relief from common health issues, including allergy and cold medication, anti-diarrhea medicine, antacids, and cough drops.  These are things that we recommend you have on hand for those middle-of-the-night-I’m-not-feeling-well moments.  We also encourage students to bring a thermometer and pain reliever/fever reducer, so you can see if you are actually running a fever and not just hot from walking up the stairs to your room on the sixth floor of Kerr Hall.  If you forget one of these items, or just need a refill on something you used, you can stop by the UNT Pharmacy on the first floor of Chestnut Hall and pick up these and other over-the-counter items without a prescription.  If you are taking a prescription, now would be a great time to talk to the UNT Pharmacy staff about your medication needs so you know if you can fill your prescription on campus before you run out.

Just like pop quizzes, accidents can happen, so it is a good idea to bring some first aid supplies to campus.  For simple cuts and scrapes, make sure to have antiseptic towelettes to clean out the wound, antibiotic ointment to prevent infection, and adhesive bandages in various sizes so you have just enough bandage to cover the area but not so much that you look like a victim from The Walking Dead.  Burn ointment can help if you burn yourself on your hair dryer and eye wash solution can help you flush out dirt or other items that get into your eyes.  For more serious wounds, you should also have sterile dressings, gloves, and scissors available.  Tweezers can also be helpful for removing splinters from your fingers.  For more serious wounds that could require stitches, antibiotics, or a Tetanus shot, remember that the Student Health and Wellness Center is available to provide care for students on campus.

Although disasters are rare at UNT, we want to encourage students to be prepared.  We recommend students have a flashlight with extra batteries available in case power goes out in their residence hall.  Your residence hall advisors can show you the evacuation plans in case of fire and the relocation plans in case of a tornado.  The first Wednesday of each month, when the weather is clear, the City of Denton will test the emergency sirens so that they are in working order in case bad weather is expected and people need to take shelter in the Library, Student Union, or other building on campus.

For outdoor care, we suggest you keep bug spray and sunscreen so you don’t get bit by mosquitoes or get a sunburn from walking across campus to your classes.  If you have concerns about an emergency on campus, including an active shooter situation, the UNT Office of Risk Management has some useful tips, videos, and other materials available online at emergency.unt.edu.

Finally, for students who are sexually active, we encourage keeping condoms and other sexual health supplies on hand.  Enrolled students can also take advantage of the Condom Club program, available through the Meadows Center for Health Resources, for free weekly sexual health kits.  To enroll in the program, students have to attend a health education consultation with a peer educator, students who are trained to talk about health topics with other students.  During this consultation, students will learn about the correct use of condoms, dental dams, and finger cots, as well as other ways to reduce the risk of transmitting a sexually transmitted infection or unwanted pregnancy.

We hope this list is helpful for our new and returning students. The staff of the Student Health and Wellness Center is looking forward to students moving onto campus next month. For questions about these supplies or about the services available at the Student Health and Wellness Center, please call 940-565-2333 or email us at askSHWC@unt.edu.