New Student Health and Wellness Checklist

The New Student Checklist will help you navigate all of the required action items you must complete prior to your arrival on campus. Be sure to review and complete the Health and Wellness items in the New Student Checklist, which includes New York State and RIT health history and immunization requirements and important items to consider, such as reviewing your health insurance coverage, planning for prescription refills, and requesting disability accommodations.

Wellness Packing List

When you are checking (and double-checking) each item off your college packing list, the number of things you will need for the year ahead may feel overwhelming. To make packing as easy as possible, we have put together a list of the essential items you will need to best take care of yourself at your new home away from home.

Here are some health and wellness items to pack:

• Copy of your health insurance card and health insurance contact information
• Thermometer
• Pain/fever reducer (acetaminophen/ibuprofen)
• Inhaler
• Illness supplies (such as tissues, decongestants, throat lozenges, etc.)
• Band-aids
• Sunscreen
• Water bottle
• If you’re bringing a longboard or bike, don’t forget your helmet! (note: longboard and bike use is not permitted on the Quarter Mile)

View the full list >

For more packing tips, visit the Resources & Guides section on the Residence Halls and RIT Inn & Conference Center information pages. 

Get Support

We are so excited to have you join our RIT community. Although you may not need our support right now, this may change over the course of your college career. This could include a visit to the Student Health Center if you’re not feeling well, academic, dietary, or housing accommodations, or even help with connecting to services beyond the scope of on-campus counseling services in the local community.

Before heading to campus, we recommend familiarizing yourself with what is available so you can easily and quickly access support services in a time of need. Our team of health professionals, counselors, and support staff is dedicated to creating safe and inclusive access to health and wellness services for all students, and we look forward to helping you in any way we can!

In addition to our Wellness services, there are various opportunities for students to connect with our team of health professionals (and one another!) in a more casual setting, such as:

• Mental health workshops and outreach groups with Counseling and Psychological Services
• Bow Wow Wellness therapy dog sessions to help de-stress during the semester
• Social Tigers: Embrace the Awkward social connection workshops
• Zzz’s Get Degrees sleep management workshops
• Nutrition Education appointments with a 4th-year dietitian student in the Student Health Center

Keep an eye out for the Weekly Wellness Newsletter, sent to your RIT email address every Tuesday starting this fall, for upcoming Wellness events and connection opportunities throughout the academic year.

Stay Active

RIT offers many opportunities to stay active to help your physical and mental well-being, while also having fun and meeting new people. If you’re interested in playing your favorite sport, trying out a new activity, or making friends with similar interests, check out the variety of recreation opportunities available to RIT students. With activities offered at every experience level, you are sure to find a way to get involved that’s best for you.

This includes: