It's a tale as old as time... you're coming to campus for the first time and you aren't sure what to bring with you. Well fear not, we have a handy dandy list of the things that you might not want to bring with you when you come to campus. This will save you a bunch of space in your suitcases and bags, making your life on campus a little bit easier.
Although this is not as exhaustive list, we have some of the big things listed here. And of course if you aren't sure about a particular item, feel free to reach out to us for more info.
Printer
It can be very tempting to think that lugging that big printer from home is a good idea... trust me it isn't. It's very rare that you will actually need to print any of your assignments, most are submitted electronically. And if you do need to print something, there are hundreds of printers on campus that you can use almost 24/7.
Board games / video games
I am not saying don't play board games and video games, what I am say is that uOttawa has a board game and video game library. This means that you'll have access to almost endless game play. Plus you'll save a tonne of money and maybe learn about some new titles.
Reading books
It isn't everyone who still reads paper books but if you do, I wouldn't bring more than one or two. Not only can you get books from the uOttawa Library, which is connected to the larger City of Ottawa Library network, but there are tonnes of free books floating around on the Free Book carts and the Little Free Libraries.
Posters
Who doesn't love a good poster? You probably don't want to have complete bare walls when you come to campus but there are opportunities to get posters when you arrive. There is the semesterly poster sale on campus, and there many craft an art sales, but you can also grab some free posters at the Free Store... it's all a matter of taste.
House Plants
If you know anything about the campus, you'll know that we love plants! So if you are looking for opportunities to build your plant collection you won't be disappointed. There are small plant sales here and there, and there are usually one or two free plant workshops every semester. Our office also gives away some of the old plants from the Living wall. And if you don't have a green thumb but still want to be near some greenery, there are a few places you can do that... at the Living wall, in the Arts green corridor, or you can book study time in the Plant room.
Blankets
DO BRING YOUR OWN BLANKET! But if you are finding that your blanket isn't quite enough and you want me comfort you can drop by the Free Store and grab yourself another blanket or two. The Free Store has everything from extra sheets to more comforters.
Binders
I know I know... not too many people use binders anymore. But they can be useful if you like using them. And if you do, the Free Store has hundreds of Free Binders you can take. We have even partnered up with the Pivik, the on-campus convenience store, to offer some free binders in the store.
Ceramic mugs
Yep... you guessed it, yet another item you can find at the Free Store. And it isn't just ceramic mugs... you can find travel mugs and reusable water bottles. And of course it needs to be mentioned that when you use a reusable mug on campus, you get a discount at all the campus coffee shops.
Extra pens
Okay... yes this is another Free Store situation. Actually maybe we can cut the list here and just say that you can go to the Free Store to find a bunch of free items that other students have donated. It really is a great resource and I suggest checking it out before you go shopping for anything to fill up your dorm... I mean why pay for it when you can just get it for free. And it has the added benefit of being really good for the planet.
So that's it for now. Again, if you want more ideas about things to bring or things to not bring to campus, send us a message by email or on Instagram and we'll do our best to help you.
~jonathan rausseo - campus sustainability expert
