Do you commute to campus? Are you worried about adjusting to student life or missing out on opportunities? If you want to make the most of your university experience as a nomad, follow our guide.

1 Get involved. A great way to meet people who share common interests is to join a club or sports team. Or take a course with AMS Minischool or UBC REC, which are great ways to connect with people. You can choose from classes which include pole dancing, wine tasting and breakdancing.

2 Manage your time wisely. Don’t just sit there on the bus staring out the window; read that novel or textbook for class.

3 Take advantage of resources. The Faculty of Arts has a mentorship program called FAACT for first-year commuter students. Get involved with your faculty’s undergraduate student society, check out events.ubc.ca for upcoming events.

4 Make friends with people who live on campus. By befriending people who live in residence or close to UBC, you’ll have potential roommates for next year and will have a place to crash after a late night of partying or studying.

5 Get a locker. This way you can leave your textbooks, gym clothes, etc. at school so you don’t have to lug them on the bus every day. Also, see 9.

6 Buy bulk, and bring snacks. Campus costs add up quick. A decent meal on campus can be anywhere from $4–$10. Head to Costco for some healthy snacks and buy lots of tupperware.
7 Buy good headphones. Don’t use the earphones that came with your iPod/phone. In addition to sounding terrible and marking you as a target for muggers, their lack of sound protection causes you to keep the volume high, which irritates fellow commuters and can lead to long-term hearing loss.

8 Be realistic. With a chunk of your time spent travelling you won’t be able to do everything without making sacrifices somewhere. If that means taking less classes, by all means, do so. You can make it up in the summer, or go an extra year.

9 Pack carefully. You’re going to be lugging the damn thing around all day, so get the best bag you can and don’t overstuff it or your back will hate you later.

10 Plan your travel. Sometimes you can shave ten minutes off your commute or increase your chances at a seat with a little trip planning.

11 If you don’t know how university works yet, take out that loan. Working 24-7 can be done, but you’ll burn out and turn into a seething mass of hate by the end of the year.

12 It’s definitely worth it to start working out for a half hour every other day. Especially if you take up drinking, which you will. Twice as much if you pick up smoking, which you might. Three times as much if you pick up smoking pot, as you will eat three times as much.

13 Seriously consider applying to the campus housing lottery. You’ve got to let go of those apron strings one day.

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