Now THAT is the question, and the answer isn’t really easy.
Some people show up ready to move into residence with one suitcase, others, like myself, bring a loaded down car filled with everything they have ever owned. Granted I had no choice, my mom was moving across the country as soon as I started at UBC, and she couldn’t afford to drag my crap around with her. Anyway, no matter how much or little you have, there are some definite needs you’ll discover when you arrive at UBC, and it might help to know what some of those are ahead of time.
The Great Pack Up
This is when you take out the big boxes/suitcases and load up the belongings that make you who you are. This is probably the hardest step to climb over in your journey to university. It’s never easy to par down your stuff and decide what matters most, but I recommend thinking conservatively. Residence rooms are always smaller than you think, with little closets and six or seven drawers. Just remember that you won’t miss the seven stuffed animals you didn’t bring once you get here, you’ll have so many other things to worry about! Here’s what I recommend bringing (you can choose how many of each thing based on what you think you will need):
Clothes:
- jeans
- t-shirts / long sleeve shirts
- a warm coat
- a rain coat (these are oddly hard to find on a whim in Vancouver, trust me.)
- lounge (pajama) pants
- bathrobe (especially if you live in a residence with shared showers)
- slippers
- waterproof shoes (something to wear in the rain, you WILL need these)
- good walking shoes (UBC is a big place, and you will be walking all over it)
- a formal outfit…or two (you will appreciate having this later)
- flip flops (for the showers…always wear flip flops in the shower)
- socks/underwear (of course)
- a hat, gloves, and a scarf (it can get really cold here)
- a sweatshirt/jacket (you will quickly find that a few layers go a long way in Vancouver)
- anything else you might want (Express yourself! If you like skirts and top hats, bring them! Let your personality shine through.)
Bathroom Stuff (you may want to get some of this stuff after you arrive, if so, there is a Shoppers Drug Mart on campus, right near the village…it should have just about everything you need)
- medications (prescription or otherwise, if you have cold medicine, bring it! It is far less fun to have to go out and get it yourself when you are sick.)
- a shower caddy (this is necessary in residences with shared showers…to carry all your stuff!)
- towels…at least 2 (just in case you have a friend stay over, you want to go to the beach, or you go too long without doing laundry)
- a small first aid kit (for all of life’s tiny emergencies)
- shampoo / conditioner
- soap
- a loofa (or a washcloth)
- a razor
- shaving cream
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- floss / mouthwash
- make-up (if you use it!)
- lotion (for the dry months)
Personal Items (the stuff you will come to rely on to get you through the hard times, the homesickness, and the days when you can do little more than procrastinate. This is probably the most important section to focus on.)
- photos of your family and your friends (nothing cures homesickness then being able to look at the people you miss)
- a journal (trust me, you will want to remember the coming years and they fly by in an instant)
- your laptop/desktop computer (probably the most important thing you’ll bring to university, you will use it everyday.)
- books (bring some of your favorites, you can trade them with friends on your floor or in your unit)
- a game system (portable or otherwise, but keep in mind that in most residences you won’t have a TV unless you bring one, though each floor will have one TV)
- a TV (for those of you who really like playing Wii or Xbox, or are going to be living in suit style residence, please note that Totem and Vanier do not have cable hook-ups in individual rooms, so you better bring something like a game system or a DVD player to plug into it)
- a musical instrument (if you play one…believe me, you will be wanting it for a jam session with friends)
- movies (this is a big one, you have no idea how appealing a movie can be when you have ten of your closest friends living down the hall from you and nothing to do, and you can share and trade them around your floor)
- your iPod/CDs/music collection (your music tastes are going to explode once you get here…having your favorites along with you makes them easier to share with friends)
- any important documents you may need (medical cards, social security cards, SIN cards, birth certificate, passport, visas…ect)
- any decorations you have at home (Christmas lights, posters, calendars, paintings, drawings, anything really that expresses your personality…you will want to make your room your own)
- anything else important to you (think about it this way, bring the stuff you use every day, but remember not to over pack. I promise you won’t miss the stuff you leave behind after your first week.)
The Grand Arrival
Everything beyond this point you may want to worry about once you arrive in Vancouver. You can acquire some of it ahead of time, but it is all readily available around campus. You might as well save space your luggage for more important things. A lot of the bathroom stuff fits into this category as well, so keep that in mind.
Food (if you do not have a kitchen in your unit you will be required to purchase a meal plan and none of this will be necessary, that being said, it is really nice to have some method of preparing food in your room when the cafeteria is closed or you are feeling too lazy to go outside)
- snacks (it is always good to have snacks in your room…you can take them with you to class or use them to pull you through an all nighter. I recommend granola bars, ramen noodles, popcorn, and fresh fruit)
- a mini fridge (it is worth the money if you do not have a kitchen in your unit. Your floor will have a shared fridge in the lounge, but you better be prepared to have anything you put in it stolen or borrowed.)
- a microwave (this is not really necessary, your floor will have one, but it is still nice to have)
- a hot pot (basically an electric kettle that boils water…perfect for soup, tea, hot chocolate, pasta, and relatively affordable)
- a crock pot (useful for stews or roasts, which are perfect comfort food in the winter)
- silverware (just a basic set)
- plates, cups, bowls (remember you’ll have to wash it all yourself!)
- tupperware (this will come in handy more than you’ll imagine)
- a reusable water bottle (you should always carry water with you to stay hydrated)
- zip lock sandwich bags (just in case you want to snack in class)
- a Brita water filtration pitcher (sometimes the pipes in residence aren’t as new as you’d like them and the water tastes kind of strange, use one of these and keep your water tasting fresh!)
Cleaning Supplies (I cannot express how important this portion of the list is. When I first opened the door to my unit in Totem I was greeted with the exotic scent of old dorm and about 9 spiders. The windows were streaky and the floor was dusty. Don’t get me wrong–they do clean the rooms ahead of time; but it will get dirty again, and you want to be ready.)
- window cleaner
- all-purpose / all-surface cleaner
- trash bags (or grocery bags)
- Febreze (for both fabics and air…this was my life saver first year. No matter the state of your room, Febreze can make you feel like it’s clean)
- bug spray (unless you enjoy squishing them yourself, or like living with them alive…there are a lot of bugs in Vancouver)
- laundry soap
- laundry bag / hamper
- fabric softener
- paper towels
- tissues
- Command wall hangers (this is another product I swear by, they allow you to create extra storage wherever you need it and they are dorm approved!)
- a mini vacuum (this isn’t at all necessary as each floor has its own vacuum, but it will make you the envy of your floor mates when you spill your frosted flakes at 3am and don’t have to wake up your RA to clean it up)
- dish soap (even if you eat in the cafeteria 90% of the time, it is likely you will have to wash dishes at some point)
- a sponge
- a dish towel
- a dish caddy (if you think you will need to do enough dishes to warrant one)
…looking back over this list makes me feel a bit materialistic. Keep in mind that you won’t need ALL of these things to get by in university, but they will make your life easier. I wrote this list as a starting point. Look over it and ask yourself what you think you will need.
I am sure I missed more than a few things (if you think of any please leave me a comment and I will add it to the list!) but this should give you a good idea of just how much you are going to have to bring/buy in order to be ready.
No matter how stressful or overwhelming all this packing and planning may seem I promise you it will pay off. It’s all worth it!
