First Week in Kingston — Everything You Need to Set Up Before Classes Start

The first week in Kingston is dense. Move-in, orientation events, meeting hundreds of people whose names you'll barely remember, and somehow also setting up the practical infrastructure of living in a new city. Things that don't get set up in week one tend to stay undone for months. Here's what to prioritize.

Day 1-2: The Essentials

Banking

If you're coming from another province or country and don't have a Canadian bank account yet, set one up in Kingston. All major banks have Kingston branches: TD on Princess Street, RBC on King Street, Scotiabank, BMO. Bring government-issued ID and your SIN if you have one.

For international students: the BMO and TD newcomer packages are specifically designed for people without Canadian credit history. They waive initial fees and often include student-specific benefits. Scotia also runs newcomer banking programs. Don't wait on this — you'll need a Canadian account for everything from e-transfer payments to receiving student loan disbursements.

SIN Card (If You Don't Have One)

If you're eligible to work in Canada and don't have a Social Insurance Number, apply immediately. The Service Canada office in Kingston handles SIN applications. Bring your study permit (if international) or your birth certificate and government ID (if Canadian). Processing is same-day at the Service Canada office. Without a SIN, you cannot work in Canada legally.

Kingston Transit U-Pass

Your Queen's student card is your bus pass. Make sure your card is activated through the student card office — it won't work on the bus until the U-Pass is loaded. This takes a day or two after pickup; check with the student card office if your card isn't being accepted on buses.

Days 3-4: Getting Set Up

Groceries and Household Supplies

Your first major grocery run: the nearest options to Queen's campus are Farm Boy on Princess Street (pricier, good quality), Loblaws (reasonable, good selection), and No Frills on Bath Road (cheapest, requires transit or a car). For the absolute best prices in Kingston, No Frills is significantly cheaper than Farm Boy or even Loblaws on most staples.

If you're in a house rather than res, buy: cleaning supplies, dish soap, toilet paper, a set of dishes and pots if the house doesn't have them. If other roommates are arriving at different times, coordinate before everyone buys duplicate sets.

Internet Setup

If you're in off-campus housing and internet isn't included, contact your chosen provider immediately. TekSavvy takes 5-10 business days to activate. You don't want to be without internet for the first two weeks of class waiting for installation.

Ontario Health Insurance (OHIP) — If Applicable

If you're a permanent resident or Canadian citizen who has recently moved to Ontario from another province, apply for OHIP immediately. There's a 3-month waiting period before coverage begins — the clock starts when you apply. Students from outside Ontario should understand what their student health plan (Queen's has one through the AMS) covers during the waiting period.

Days 5-7: Getting Comfortable

Walk Your Route to Campus

Simple but overlooked: walk your actual route to your first class before the first day. Know how long it takes, where the building entrance is, and where you're going once you're inside. Queen's buildings are not all self-explanatory. Students who do this feel considerably less stressed on the first day.

Find Your Three Nearest Essentials

Know the location of your closest: grocery store, pharmacy, bank/ATM, and bus stop. These come up constantly. Having them mapped in advance saves decision fatigue when you actually need them.

Connect With Your Program

Most faculties have first-week orientation events. The academic side is less important than the social side — this is how you meet people in your year who will become your study group, your exam prep partners, and your social network. The content is usually forgettable; the people you meet are the actual value.

Things That Can Wait Until Week 2

• Setting up your full course reading schedule
• Buying all your textbooks (confirm in-class before buying — some professors never use the required text)
• Deciding which student clubs to join
• Finding a family doctor (put your name on the Queen's SWS list, then let the waitlist work)

Before You Arrive: The Pre-Move Checklist

Students who land in Kingston without completing this pre-arrival list spend their first week fixing logistics instead of getting settled. Complete these before moving day:

• Confirm your housing address and move-in date in writing — email confirmation from your landlord is your protection if there's a dispute about access dates
• Book a moving truck or van early — U-Haul, Penske, and Budget all rent in Kingston. The last week of August and September 1 are the busiest move-in days in Kingston by a significant margin; book trucks months in advance for those dates
• Set up internet before you need it — Rogers, TekSavvy, or Bell installation bookings for September fill up fast. Book in July or August for a September 1 move-in. You cannot book same-day installation
• Get a Kingston Transit U-Pass or monthly pass loaded — if you're at Queen's, your U-Pass is automatically tied to your student card. Activate it by using it on a bus and confirming with the driver that it's working
• Know your building's move-in window — many Kingston apartment buildings have elevator booking systems or move-in time windows to prevent hallway congestion. Confirm with your landlord and book your slot

Day 1 and 2: Essential First Stops in Kingston

The first 48 hours in Kingston should cover these in rough priority order:

• Grocery run: Loblaws (Princess Street), Real Canadian Superstore (Bath Road), and No Frills (multiple Kingston locations) are the main options. No Frills is the cheapest for staples. Buy enough to cook for 3–4 days so you're not eating out constantly while getting settled
• Set up your bank account if needed: TD, Scotiabank, RBC, BMO, and CIBC all have branches in Kingston near campus. International students switching from a non-Canadian bank: bring your passport, study permit, and proof of enrollment. Most major banks offer student accounts with no monthly fees
• Get a SIM card: if you need a local number, phone stores in the Kingston downtown core (Rogers, Bell, Koodo, Fido all have locations on Princess Street) or bring your own device to activate a plan from Public Mobile or Fizz online
• Walk your neighbourhood: understanding which streets go where, where the nearest bus stops are, and what's within 10 minutes on foot saves significant daily friction in the coming weeks

Setting Up Your Apartment in Week 1

New Kingston students who try to buy all their apartment needs from one store spend significantly more than those who mix sources. The optimal week-1 strategy:

• Check what the apartment comes with — many Kingston student rentals include basic appliances (fridge, stove, sometimes microwave) and some include window coverings. Know your baseline before buying anything
• Fliku and Facebook Marketplace for furniture — desks, chairs, bookshelves, and small storage furniture are available from departing students at 20–50% of IKEA prices in August and September. Check local listings before buying new
• IKEA via the 401 — the nearest IKEA is in Ottawa (approximately 2.5 hours west on the 401) or in the GTA (approximately 2.5 hours east). If you need flat-pack basics and can coordinate a trip, IKEA remains the best value for student furniture. Some Kingston students coordinate a shared trip with housemates in the first weeks of September
• Canadian Tire, Walmart, and Home Depot — all have Kingston locations for cleaning supplies, basic kitchen tools, storage, and household essentials. Canadian Tire on Bath Road is the most comprehensive for household setup items

Queen's University Essentials in Your First Week

• Pick up your student card at the Queen's Card Office (Rideau Building) if you haven't received it — you need it for the library, transit, gym access, and printing
• Set up your Queen's NetID and email at netid.queensu.ca if not already done — you need it for course registration, library access, and institutional software
• Register with Student Wellness Services early if you anticipate needing mental health or medical support — the wait for appointments grows through September. Register in week 1
• Check your Faculty's orientation schedule — most Queen's faculties run orientation events in the first two weeks of September with practical information about your program, lab access, and academic expectations
• Download the Queen's app and bookmark onQ (Queen's learning management system) where course materials are posted