Hey, I just finished up my term with NCCC in the Southern Region last year. Here's my advice: Definitely avoid overpacking, you're never going to be that far from a Walmart especially in the southern region so you can easily buy things like shampoo, towels, shaving cream and other personal care products there. You also spend way more time in your uniform than you might think, so really only pack what you're likely to wear every single week when you're not in uniform. Jeans, sweatpants, activewear for working out are all good calls.

The second almost goes without saying, but try to keep an open mind and say "yes" to new experiences. I'm from a big city in the Pacific Northwest and I've interacted with all sorts of people before starting NCCC but even I shied away from putting myself out there and learning how to do things like running a chainsaw at first. The sooner I learned to just lean into the discomfort, the more I enjoyed myself and I wouldn't have come out the other side nearly as confident in myself and my abilities.

Another point I just remembered: PAY ATTENTION to the rules during orientation. NCCC is not shy about sending kids home for breaking the rules especially when it comes to weed and alcohol. Out of 93 people that arrived on campus in the summer, only sixty-ish actually made it to graduation. This is not meant to scare y'all, but just don't make dumb decisions and keep up with the work and you'll be more than fine.

Last point: The Tomato Place slaps, definitely go when you get the chance :)

Feel free to DM me for clarification on anything or if you just want to chat more!