What to Bring to UC Davis

Three essential purchases for starting college or grad school at UC Davis.

• A Bike, and the correct bike lock. You might have heard about how everyone in Davis bikes to get to class or around town. It’s true, we have plenty of bikes here. Davis even had the first bike lane in the U.S.! Bring a bike or have a plan on where to get one because the Targets and Walmarts of the area often sell out fast at the beginning of the school year. I also HIGHLY recommend a U-Lock for locking up your bike. Anyone in Davis will tell you that is the type of bike lock to purchase, as other types of bike locks are easier to meddle with. And please, don’t buy a cruiser. Everyone will hate you for it.

• Some allergy medication. I’m not kidding! We have plenty of agriculture around, which might introduce new allergens for folks who grew up in metropolitan areas. I grew up in the California Central Valley, a largely agricultural area, and had no issues with allergies when I moved to Davis. My friends, originally from Southern California, however, suffer from terrible allergies here on campus.

• An umbrella, and some rain boots. The rainy season here in Davis can get pretty wet some years, so it is ESSENTIAL to have a good umbrella and rain boots. I use this $10 wind-proof umbrella from Target when walking around campus. If you’re using a bike to get around, you might want to invest in a rain poncho since you wont be able to hold open an umbrella. Lots of people wear ponchos while biking in the rain. And then for women’s rain boots, I recommend this Target pair, which you will see a ton of students wearing.