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This toolkit is a curated set of resources and essentials that help students who live off campus successfully navigate academic life, social engagement, and daily logistics, while feeling connected to their institution.
Before you come to campus
- 📍 Update your local address in e-Campus
- 📌 Parking & Permits
- Don’t get ticketed. Make sure you’re familiar with URI’s parking zones and where you can park.
- 🚌 Transportation Apps
- Download TransLoc or RIPTA tools for real-time info.
- Maps & directions
- Sustainable transportation
Create a Campus Anchor, like the Commuter Lounge on the third floor of the Memorial Union to serve as your “home base” to relax, study, and meet friends. Use quiet corners between classes to reset and regroup.
🌟 Lounge Highlights 🌟
- Comfort First: Comfy sofas, tables, and chairs create a relaxed, welcoming space.
- Eat & Store: Keep your lunch in the fridge or warm it up in the microwave.
- Recharge Your Devices: Plugs, USB chargers, and a TV are all available.
Dining 🍽️ Staying Nourished on (and near) Campus
- Choose Your Meal Plan Wisely
- Order Ahead with Grubhub+ Student
- Use Your Ram Account — Anywhere!
- Enjoy a Variety of Dining Spots
Mainfare, Butterfield, Daily Grind, Brookside Bistro, The Corner Store, Ram’s Den, Rhody Eatz, and more. - Meet Various Dietary Needs with Ease
Dining Services provides vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free options and offers nutritional information, allergen guidance, and a registered dietitian. - Save Time & Money with Smart Strategies
- Bring your own meals and use the commuter fridges and microwaves in the Commuter Lounge or Women’s Center.
- Stretch your budget by packing snacks or leftovers instead of buying every meal.
- When finances are tight, visit the Rhody Outpost food pantry or “Little Rhody” pantries.
- Use URI’s Free Farmer’s Market to access fresh, locally-grown produce from URI farms. Follow @urifreefarmersmarket on Instagram for up-to-date news, weekly produce previews, and recipes.
- Discover Kingston Emporium
Explore local shops and restaurants at Kingston Emporium
Many accept Ram Account, so your student ID goes a bit further. - International markets in the Community
- Asia Grille Market (Providence)
- La Poblanita (Newport)
- Good Fortune Supermarket (Boston area)
- Local farmers’ markets (Kingston, Wakefield)
Make campus work for you
- Study between classes
- Schedule meetings on campus days
- Get involved
- Find events
Commuter Essentials
You belong at URI—even while you live off campus.
This toolkit is a curated set of resources and essentials that help students who live off campus successfully navigate academic life, social engagement, and daily logistics, while feeling connected to their institution.
🧰 Essentials: Items to keep in Your Go Bag
| Seasons | Essentials |
|---|---|
| Fall | Light jacket, allergy meds, umbrella, hand sanitizer |
| Winter | Ice scraper, hand warmers, thermal blanket, gloves, extra socks, non-slip shoes or boots |
| Spring | Rain jacket, tissues, sunglasses, allergy meds |
| Summer | Sunscreen, mini fan or cooling towel, sunglasses, water-rich snacks |
- Campus ID card
- Reusable water bottle & snacks
- Charger (phone, laptop, etc.)
- Power bank/battery pack
- Headphones
- Non-perishable snacks (granola bar, nuts, dried fruit)
- Extra pens, highlighters, sticky notes
- Emergency cash/credit card
🚗 Planning Your Commute Strategically
- Understand your transportation options: personal vehicle, RIPTA, Amtrak, the MBTA commuter rail, campus shuttles, and park-and-ride lots.
- Apply for a URI commuter parking permit early each semester.
- Please note that parking permits are required for all vehicles parked on URI property.
- Use trip-planning apps like TransLoc or RIPTA’s Trip Planner to stay on schedule.
- URI provides bike racks and EV charging stations around campus.
- Build in buffer time around your commute to allow for traffic, weather, and finding parking.
- Prepare for early morning or evening classes with a packed meal, layered clothing, and portable chargers.
- Schedule study time or club meetings around your in-person class days to minimize extra trips.
- Treat your commute as transition time: listen to podcasts, reflect, or decompress.
What items should I keep in my vehicle?
Consider carrying:
- Jumper cables
- Bucket of sand (traction aid)
- Shovel (for snow)
- Ice scraper and deicer
- Basic tool kit
- Flashlight and flares
- Blankets
- Antifreeze and windshield wiper fluid
- Eating utensils and non-perishable snacks
- Change of clothes
🍽️ Staying Nourished on (and near) Campus
- Choose Your Meal Plan Wisely
URI Dining Services offers Campus (unlimited hall access + Dining Dollars) and Flex (select meals + Dining Dollars) plans. Commuters aren’t required to pick a plan—but they’re encouraged to explore the benefits for convenience and value. - Order Ahead with Grubhub+ Student
Use your free Grubhub+ Student account for on-campus mobile ordering via Grubhub—choose pick-up times, skip lines, and pay with your meal plan, Dining Dollars, Ram Account, or credit card. - Use Your Ram Account—Anywhere!
Every student ID card includes a “Ram Account” debit balance, usable on campus (retail outlets, vending, laundry, print) and at participating off-campus retailers in Kingston, Wakefield, and Narragansett. - Enjoy a Variety of Dining Spots
Options include:- All-you-care-to-eat halls: Mainfare & Butterfield
- Quick-service outlets: Daily Grind, Brookside Bistro, The Corner Store, PizzaXpress at Rhody Market, Ram’s Den, Rhody Eatz, and more.
- Meet Dietary Needs with Ease
Dining Services caters to various dietary preferences—vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free—and offers nutritional information and allergen guidance. Consult their registered dietitian if needed. - Save Time & Money with Smart Strategies
- Bring your own meals and use the commuter fridges and microwaves in the Commuter Lounge or Women’s Center.
- Stretch your budget by packing snacks or leftovers instead of buying every meal.
- When finances are tight, visit the Rhody Outpost food pantry for free essentials.
- Use URI’s Free Farmer’s Market to access fresh, locally-grown produce from URI farms. Follow @urifreefarmersmarket on Instagram for up-to-date news, weekly produce previews, and recipes.
- Discover Kingston Emporium
Explore local shops and restaurants at Kingston Emporium—many accept Ram Account, so your student ID goes a bit further. - International markets in the Community
- Asia Grille Market (Providence)
- La Poblanita (Newport)
- Good Fortune Supermarket (Boston area)
- Local farmers’ markets (Kingston, Wakefield)
URI Commuter Affairs
📧 Email: commuter-group@uri.edu
☎️ Phone: 401‑874‑2828