QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE LEAVING YOUR HOUSE:

• Do I have all my notebooks for today’s classes, and all my pens and pencils and such?
• Do I have my UPass?
• Did I bring my lunch?
• Do I have money in case I decide my lunch isn’t yummy enough?
• Do I have a lab today? If yes, did I bring my lab manual and last week’s lab report? Did I bring my lab coat and goggles?
• Does it look like it’s going to rain? Did the forecast predict rain? IF YES, did I bring my umbrella? [Uh sidenote, it’s just safe to always bring your umbrella. Vancouver is well known for its rain]
• Do I have my phone? iPod? Earphones? [There was one day I forgot my earphones and it was the woooorst, I always try to put them in the same pocket in my bag and I always return them to that pocket right when I get home that way when I reach for them the next day on the bus, they’re there!]
  
• Am I staying late today? If yes, did I bring any needed chargers?

*As a commuter student, it’s going to be difficult to go back home if you’ve forgotten anything. So I find that it’s really helpful to have all your documents and assignments in a place where you can access them even if you left a printed copy at home. Google Docs is really good with that. Or you could always use a USB Cable, I attach mine to my house keys! 🙂 There are lots of places on campus where you can print off files, the libraries being the most common!

[Sidenote: If you want to print documents at the libraries they usually need a library card. It will be safer to get one at the beginning of the year and put some money on it. That way you don’t have to freak out when you can’t print anything because you don’t have a card]

ON THE BUS:

Hello to the classic “Bus etiquette” list. These are just a few things to keep in mind while on the bus or skytrain!

• Always say “Thank you” to the bus driver before you leave
• Try not to soak everyone with your wet umbrella
• A tip for an on-bus pillow is… Circle Scarfs! (Or infinity scarfs!) Especially the poofy ones. You don’t look weird bring them onto the bus and you can either lean against it while it’s wrapped around your neck, or you can take it off and lean on it. Napping is always a nice thing to do on the bus.
• Always give up your seat for the elderly, the injured, children, or pregnant ladies. Just do it okay?
• Find a bus buddy! If you know someone who commutes in the same direction as you, see if you can plan it so you guys can head home together. As they say, time flies when you’re having fun!
• Don’t stand in that yellow box in front of the doors. You’ll save yourself from the grumbling and yelling of the bus driver and other commuters.
• Never prioritize your bag over a person for a seat. Just, nope.
• If you’re comfortable with it, the bus is a nice place to do some reading. Personally it makes me a little dizzy but to each his own!
• Clean up after yourself! Don’t litter, it’s not cool.

Uhhhh, I guess that’s it for the on-bus part! That list was a little all over the place! My bad!

AS A COMMUTER ON CAMPUS:

UBC has resources available for commuter students. I guess the biggest struggle for us is that UBC is a tad isolated and most students are coming from places that take at least half an hour or more away. It’s a struggle for some students but it’s important to know that there are people who can help as well as other first years in the same boat!

So here are some On-Campus tips!

• UBC just opened a new collegium for commuter students that acts as a home-away-from-home! It has things like microwaves, printers, couches, desks, etc. Loads of things available to make students feel more at home despite not living on campus. But it is a member-type thing, so you do need to apply so go check that out! 😀
• FOOD: I don’t know about you but I’m always thinking about food. However, buying food can get a little pricey sometimes and since you are living at home, it’s probably the best idea to bring snacks or a lunch with you to school. UBC has microwaves in lots of locations, so go ahead and bring food to heat up! Places I usually go to microwave are: Downstairs in the SUB (There are 4), Abdul Ladha (Also has 4), and Irving (there’s only one near Ike’s BUT if you’re heating up lunch earlier or later than lunchtime it normally isn’t busy)
• Textbooks. Leave them at home. Textbooks are mainly used in university for pre-readings and practice questions. Unless it’s a workbook, you won’t ever have to bring them to class. Save yourself the back problems and leave the heavy text at home!  But if you did want to do some practice or reading on campus, there are options! 1) You could always borrow the textbook from the library, 2) If there is an e-book option and you have an e-reader, go for it!!, 3) Making friends can have some benefits and if you have friends that live on campus, ask them if they can keep your textbook in their room for you. That way you can access it on campus without having to always bring it home.
• Know times. Try to plan your day so that you know when the library closes, or when the Science building closes. It’s always the worst if you plan to stay late but then get kicked out of a place. Also know the times of your bus. For me, I take the 99 which means it comes frequent enough that I don’t need to keep a track of bus times, but if you take the less frequent busses, you might be waiting a little longer.
• If your transit travel is long, know where the washrooms are. For example, for me, I always make a stop at the washroom in the SUB before heading to the bus loop. If I forget and need to go, I know there’s washrooms at the Blenz Cafe or the A&W, or the McDonald’s near Commercial/Broadway (the skytrain station the 99 ends at). Unfortunately skytrain stations don’t have public washrooms, so it’s your best option to know so that you don’t have to hold it in!
• WHAT TO WEAR: As commuters, we can’t head home if we forget something, right? So it’s important to dress for the weather. Always bring an umbrella because we’re in Vancouver and rain is a thing. …A frequent thing. Bring a jacket, I prefer to wear layers to be honest. That way if it’s too warm in lecture I can take something off that I can pull back on when I’m walking to my next class.
• GET INVOLVED! It may be a smidgen harder to get involved as a commuting first year since all your on-campus friends may be completely hitting it off with their res friends. However, it is just as easy to get involved, so don’t hesitate! Just don’t take on too much at once, and remember that heading home is a lot longer for you. So if you wanted to be home at 10, you’d have to leave your event at around 9 (or earlier depending on your personal travel time).

WELCOME TO UBC IF YOU’RE NEW! AND WELCOME BACK IF YOU’RE NOT NEW! I’m excited to get back into a school-flow and I’m determined to make this year count!

Make the rest of your summer rock!

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