Champlain College Campus Life Guide

Part zine, part travel guide, part journal, the Champlain College Campus Life guide is sent to every accepted student each year. The guide is broken down into seasons, as a way of highlighting a student’s typical first-year college experience.

Sprinkled throughout the guide are small text conversations to alleviate students’ (and parents’) concerns about leaving for college, covering everything from meeting people and joining clubs to well-being and mental health.

Each season also includes a journaling section with writing prompts, lists of potential gear to bring (or not), and places to list new friends and contacts. The goal was to create a piece with longevity: a keepsake and a workbook that serves a purpose throughout the year.

Given that no student is without his/her/their phone, the guide includes QR codes that link to various Champlain College digital resources. It provides advice for first-year students, residence hall overviews, and Instagram posts about student orientation.