The Disney College Program was my first time not living in my hometown. I had no idea what to take, and I majorly over-packed. I watched tons of vlogs beforehand, yet nothing could have prepared me for what I needed and didn't have.
1. A Car
Taking the bus is a great luxury... when you're out of gas that is. Otherwise, you may as well plan to wake up two hours early to catch the bus to work and spend time waiting on the bus to go home that night... oh and go ahead and include the bus ride back to the complex, cause it's going to take a hot minute. I was not a fan of the bus system, mainly because I get motion sickness very easily. Annnndd, the more sleep I could get, the better.
2. A Spare Key
Yep... less than a whole 24 hours since I moved to Florida, and I locked my keys in my car. My spare... was back in Kentucky. Needless to say, it took three hours of attempting to break into my car, a coat hanger, a lot of laughs, All State never showing up, and using my roommates AAA. It was an adventure for sure, but definitely a lesson learned.
3. A Fan
Our apartment didn't have ceiling fans, so it could get rather toasty in there on hot days. I like it cold when I sleep, and my trusty ol' box fan, did just that. It also drowned out a lot of noise of traffic and neighbors!
4. Tupperware
Your kitchen comes "fully equipped". Trust me, you're going to want some plastic bowls. They're a lifesaver when it comes to packing lunches for work, and when your nasty roommates won't wash their dishes. You might even want to purchase some extra utensils!
5. A Backpack
Bigger than a purse and big enough for everything you could need; including snacks for the parks. Yes, that's right... you can take your own snacks to the parks, and why not? It's waaaay cheaper. I also carried a rain jacket, an umbrella, a bus schedule, a phone charger, and my program guide. You can never be too prepared, and never know when you could get stuck in a sticky situation.
6. Money
I wish someone had told me how much I was actually going to spend living in Florida. I wasn't one to buy a ton of souvenirs, but did want to enjoy my time there too. I had a car payment, cell phone bill and the weekly rent. Most people say that you work so much, you have plenty of money as long as you don't buy silly stuff...not true. I worked in a resort, and got a max of 35 hours a week. Just enough that they'd never approve 7th day because that would mean overtime. I was broke. Literally broke. I took $2500 with me... and would still have to call home and ask my dad for money for groceries or gas. Ultimate struggle.
There ya are; six important things that you may want to consider when packing for the DCP.
