Move-in Day: The Ins and Outs

The plane ride from Toronto to Victoria

Moving into residence can be a stressful experience. Trust me, I’ve done it twice.

As an out of province student who had never even been to British Columbia before, let alone see what the University of Victoria dorms look like or what I’d need to do on that fateful day, I had no idea what to expect that September morning. There are so many lists and tips on what to bring to your dorm but not much on how that stressful yet exciting day works. 

Cadboro Commons

My first move-in day my parents and I woke up extra early in our hotel downtown and packed the rental car with as much as it could carry. We flew to Victoria from Toronto a few days prior and bought most of the stuff I’d need in Victoria.

I was an anxious mess (as I am with most new experiences). We arrived at UVic and spent several minutes looking for a place to park, finally finding a spot in parking lot #5. We followed the crowd to a long line emerging from Cadboro Commons (the cafeteria). 

The OneCard office

We decided to wait to see if the line would die down, grabbed a map, and made our way to the University Centre to pick up my OneCard before that line got crazy, too.

OneCards aren’t just your student card, they’re your bus pass, your meal plan, your ID for exams. I had already submitted my photo online so they just had to find mine in their long list of names. 

With my OneCard in hand, we made our way back to Cadboro Commons and got in line. The lines split off depending on your residence neighbourhood, so I got in the line for Towers and made my way to its table in the building and picked up my keys.

South Tower

Saying goodbye to the people I met in line, I walked to another line and waited for a trolley to help transport my things to my room. Thankfully my building, South Tower, was reasonably close to the parking lot. We rode the elevator up to the second floor and I opened up my room. It was small and blank but I knew it was home. 

I hugged my parents goodbye for the last time before returning the trolley. I began to unpack and look over the paper I was given outlining the New Students Welcome and Residence Orientation that would be happening the following day.

I thought I’d be a lot sadder to say goodbye then I was. Instead, I was consumed by the butterflies in my stomach that signalled a new adventure.