Must haves

I'd get a window shade for the drivers side window. They're sold at Walmart in the automotive section and at other stores and Amazon. These can help prevent sun damage to the left side of the face and possible skin and eye cancer. Wish I'd done this years before my skin & left eye was damaged by the sun.
You can see through these shades and use the rear view side mirrors just fine.

Even though in the picture, they look dark, you can see through them just fine. The ones I bought, one side is black and the other side is a cream color.
I didn't use one on the passenger side window, just the drivers side.

 

As a student space on the truck will be extremely limited. Anything you bring will have to most likely be stored on the top bunk, where you will also be sleeping.

Recommend keeping it to one large dufflebag. If you can fit it in there then bring it. If not leave it. Fill mostly with clothes. Bring sanitation wipes. Also one sleeping bag. Shower shoes and toiletry bag. Also cdl and med card, of course. Your cellphone.

Thats all I brought with me for my 6 weeks training. It was enough.

 

I'll add to @TravR1's post. A couple of good books.

Once you get your own truck, then you can add other stuff. But keep it simple and light. You may need to change trainers. Not everyone gets along. Or you might get put out of the truck 1000 miles from home if you really don't get along or really screw up. You wouldn't be the first.

Add on:
A trucking road atlas and a paper log book.

 

Take what you can fit in one bag / suitcase. You get out there and don't like it, you won't have so much to carry back home after you quit. I've seen guys at truckstops with LOADS of belongings they had to lug home on a bus or in a rideshare after finding out the hard way trucking wasn't for them.

 

PS--add sunscreen. That is a MUST have. And polarized, UV-A and UV-B sunglasses rated at 400 are also a MUST have.

 

I went through CDL school and orientation at Swift, Lewiston, Idaho last summer. Orientation after CDL school was just me and one other driver trainee.

We were told to bring all of our belongings from the motel to the final day of orientation. As I was waiting in the motel veranda for the company shuttle that final morning, here comes the other driver trainee, pushing a motel luggage cart which was jam packed with duffel bags and suitcases. It was one of those luggage Carts that looks like a four poster brass bed, and it was freaking jammed with luggage.

I was speechless.

That was Friday morning.

Both our trainers (mentors) were due Saturday afternoon / evening, so they had us camp out in tractors at the terminal, which was fine by me, that was what I signed on for.

I asked her if she thought those 53' dry vans were for student luggage, or what? I don't think she appreciated the question.

I made it a point to be somewhere else when she tried loading all her #### into that tractor.

I don't know how it went when her mentor showed up. He got delayed and didn't make it until Sunday, and by then my mentor and I were in Utah.

Don't be like that.

One medium duffle, and maybe a small one for when you (team) shower.

Shower shoes are a must.

 

A good attitude.

Everything else doesn't matter.

 

Those wraparounds are best to protect the eyes.