What to Pack

Documents for Arrivals Day
See Checking In Upon Arrival for a list of the items that we'll collect on Day 0.

Clothes
We recommend you bring:

• 8–10 pairs of socks and underwear
• Pajamas
• 8 light shirts or T-shirts
• 3–4 pairs of shorts and 1–2 pairs of long pants
• 1 waterproof jacket
• 2 sweaters/sweatshirts (Keep in mind that it does get chilly at night!)
• 1 pair of sneakers and 1 pair of sandals
• Optional: non-cotton clothes, recommended for potential field trips like whitewater rafting

Camp is very informal, but you might like to have one set of nicer clothes, with clothes hangers, for the occasional dress-up day. (Nothing fancy will ever be required, but campers sometimes dress up for fun, and there is an annual dance party for which some campers step it up a notch.)

Laundry and Linens
Students should bring:

• 1–2 large bags for carrying laundry to/from the laundry room
• bed sheets, pillowcases, and towels

Mathcamp always provides pillows and blankets. In 2024, students should bring their own bed sheets, pillowcases, and towels. The beds in the dorm are twin extra long; if you already have x-long fitted sheets, then bring them. Regular twin sheets will work, too (so you don't have to go out and buy new sheets to come to Mathcamp).

Mathcamp will provide laundry detergent and dryer sheets, and laundry is free.

Students do their own laundry at Mathcamp. If you do not know how to use a washer and dryer, learn before you come!

Personal Items
We recommend you bring:

• Toiletries
• A backpack, both for classes and if you want to go hiking
• Small desk/reading lamp (optional; dorm rooms have only overhead lighting, so you might be glad to have a book light for reading at night)

Note that there are shared bathrooms on each hall, so you may wish to bring a bathrobe, shower slippers, and a way to carry your toilettries between your dorm room and the hall bathroom.

Finally: think about the personal items you enjoy having at home. Would you like ear plugs and an eye mask for sleeping? Nail clippers and an emory board? Your favorite stuffed animal? Bring the little things that will make camp your home.

Technology
Bring a cell phone (if you have one) with charger. (If you don't have a cell phone, that's okay: there will be phones for you to borrow for up to an hour at a time from the camp office for calling home.)

You're in charge of getting up in the morning, so you'll need your own wake-up alarm! Some campers use a cell phone; others bring an alarm clock.

Do bring a laptop, if you already have one. There is a small computer lab in the dorm, as well as access to public computer labs on campus: you'll certainly be able to check your email or work on programming projects if you don't have a laptop with you. But if you already have one and you're thinking about bringing it, you'll be glad that you did. Consider also bringing a surge protector.

School Supplies
We recommend you bring a notebook, pens/pencils, binder for handouts, and some paper.

No need to pack your whole desk – you can easily buy more supplies at the campus bookstore.

Recreation
We recommend you bring:

• Sturdy water bottle (highly recommended, for hikes and daily hydration)
• Sun block! (There will be many optional outdoor activities, and it is easy to get burned. We will provide some sunscreen on field trips, but it's best to carry your own.)
• Hat, sunglasses
• Swimsuit and extra towel (if you want to go swimming )
• Long socks (e.g. soccer socks) if you want to go ice skating
• Personal sports equipment (e.g. tennis racket, swimming goggles)
• Frisbees, board games, chess sets, puzzles (the more the merrier)
• Musical instruments

For hiking trips: comfortable and sturdy shoes, such as sneakers or hiking shoes, are required for all hikes. For mellow and medium Mathcamp hikes, sneakers with good treads will be just fine. If you'd like to go on the longest hike, which is typically 15 miles with significant elevation gain and some snow, you will need hiking boots. We strongly recommend breaking in hiking boots before you come to camp.

Suggested Spending Money: $100-$150 USD
for incidental expenses, extra field trips, etc. (recommended)

Official Mathcamp activities are included in the camp fee, but occasionally staff or students organize extra excursions for which students pay their own way (e.g. going to the movies). Even for informal activities, Mathcamp is able to subsidize low-income students who would find it difficult to afford on their own. Talk to any staff member (e.g. your residential advisor, or a camp director) if you need extra support. The conversation will remain confidential. We want everyone to be able to enjoy the opportunities offered at camp!

Travel Documents
Don't forget to carry your ticket, visa, and passport/birth certificate safely.

What Not To Bring

• You could bring a scientific or graphing calculator for fun, but you won't need it for Mathcamp classes, so we don't especially recommend it.
• We suggest that you do not bring unnecessary valuables or expensive electronic equipment. If you have necessary valuables with you like spending money or your passport, you may opt to store them in the Mathcamp office.

The Camp Will Provide:

• Pillows and blankets
• A fan for each dorm room, if the rooms are not air conditioned
• Laundry detergent and dryer sheets
• Clothes iron and sewing kit
• First aid and basic over-the-counter medication (e.g. Tylenol, Advil, Benadryl; administered by staff)
• Recreational equipment (soccer balls, basket balls, etc.)

Mailing Boxes to Camp
If you prefer to travel light, you can mail boxes to camp up to a week before camp starts.
Please direct mail to:

Name of Individual
c/o Mathcamp
University of Puget Sound
Conference Services
1500 N. Warner Street, CMB 1093
Tacoma, Washington 98416-1093
Please be advised that boxes that arrive too early could be returned at the discretion of the campus; we will pick up the mail a few days before the campers arrive. At the end of the program, students can pack up boxes and ship them from the on-campus mail center. We can also ship pre-packed boxes after students depart, in which case we'll bill you for the cost.