The ink has dried in high school yearbooks as the summer sun lingers longer and longer with each passing day, but it might be time to pick back up that pen to start making lists and plans for college. The question is: where do you even begin?
Buy, Bye, or Maybe
Overpacking can be a nightmare, especially if you’ve traveled far and wide to get to UCSB. Regarding everyday items, the general rule of thumb that I like to follow is that, if I don’t use something at home, I probably won’t start using it in college. Here are some loose suggestions on what to buy, what to say goodbye to, and what you may or may not consider bringing.
BUY: A shower caddy and shower shoes are essential for showers. Extension cords will help chargers reach the tragically located outlets in dorm rooms. A laundry basket/bag that is portable is imperative because, in certain UCSB dorms, it’s a bit of a walk to get to the designated laundry rooms.
BYE: That shirt that you’ve been meaning to wear has not and will not find its calling in college. Wet wipes will dry before they see the light of day. An alarm clock will only harbor dust and annoyance from your roommates; just stick to using your phone. UCSB’s dorms come with a trash can, recycling bin, and full-body mirrors already, so take those off the list as well.
MAYBE: If the dorm has a communal shower, I would definitely recommend having a robe to walk back and change in your room. A water filter pitcher, like a Brita, is useful if you frequent the dorm and are diligent in keeping it clean; UCSB has a lot of water filter stations all over campus, so I don’t have the need to own one. Rugs/carpets are super cute and make the room feel much more homey, but they get dirty faster than it takes to delegate which roommate is getting which bed, closet, and desk in the room.
For a more cohesive list, refer to the thousands of TikToks, articles on the internet, and upperclassmen to better understand what to bring and what not to. Everyone’s dorm experiences and personal preferences vary, so take everyone’s advice with a grain of salt and remember that Target and other stores are just a hop, skip, and a (free) bus ride away.
in Sickness and in health (mostly sickness)
My immune system used to be a point of pride, joy, and ego. That was until my respiratory system got absolutely demolished by disturbingly mysterious germs, illnesses, and viruses floating around freshman dorms. I thought I could run. I thought I could hide. I didn’t think I’d have a stubborn cough that would last longer than my quarter-length classes.
Thus, be wary of sick classmates, especially if stuck in a dorm room with them. Cough drops, tissues, and allergy medicine became my holy grail.
Outside of diseases, bloodthirsty electric scooters and ceaseless bike crashes have done their fair share of damage to the students of UCSB. A couple of bandaids, quick reflexes, and a bit of courage are some things that I advise you to bring.
There’s also another plague that I have yet to find a finite cure for: homesickness.
Some people are eager to leave home (me included), and others may not be as earnest. Regardless, there are many days that I find myself overwhelmingly sober of family and home-cooked meals.
For now, appreciate home for what it is and spend time with family and friends. Enjoy the familiar hometown shops and restaurants nearby, because UCSB is a new environment and, as amazing as it is, could never really replace my home.
friends, roommates, and everything in between
Some of my best friends were made before I even stepped onto campus.
Most UCSB students who needed help finding roommates remedied that by posting on the Instagram pages dedicated to posting incoming freshmen during the summer. I already had my roommate situation figured out, so I posted on Instagram just to have some familiar faces among the 20,000+ students at UCSB. Over the long summer, my thumbs worked overtime to network and befriend people with similar interests.
And even though just about everyone seems to love listening to music, thrifting, and hanging out with their friends, the exhilarating feeling of sending or receiving a DM from new people and hearing their unique life stories never gets tiring.
Besides, once school rolled around, if I had a dime for every time I had either heard or said, “Wait, I think I follow you on Instagram,” I’d be able to afford out-of-state tuition. It’s from these initial interactions that real opportunities to befriend and spend time with people arise.
UCSB is not much of a commuter school, so it’s incredibly comforting to realize that everyone is coming into college with a blank slate, all in a collective search for people to call home. Yes, not everyone you reach out to will end up sticking around, but the ones that matter will.
Keep an eye on the clock
Sure, everyone complains about the quarter system, but don’t think for a second that you’re immune to its effects either.
For one, it means school starts unusually later compared to other schools nationwide. Hypothetically, long summers are a dream, until everyone else in the semester-system colleges is away, and all that’s left is the uncomfortable summer heat and the itch for school to begin.
However, once in school, I can only describe the quarter system as getting blindsided and swept off your feet by the whirlwind of the quarter system. It felt like I had coughed a bit too hard, closed my eyes, and then reopened them to find myself in finals week, just when I was starting to get familiar with the syllabuses of my classes.
Although an exaggeration, the quarter system really is no joke. During the summer, I would suggest not allowing your brain to melt into nothingness, because once school starts, professors and the fast-paced curriculum have students working right out of the gates.
For whatever summer holds for you, enjoy the moment, bask in the sun, and read over your high school classmates’ sweet yearbook paragraphs. Before you know it, UCSB will be just around the corner.
Of course, most importantly: H.A.G.S!