What I wish I'd packed for NCS...

What would you put into an NCS Starter Kit? Sunglasses? Phone charger? Rain mac? If you’re gearing up for an away from home experience, check out what other young people wish they’d packed, and make sure you chuck it in your bag so you don’t miss out!

Sturdy shoes, rain coat, spare clothes

You’d probably guess these would come top, and you’d be right. You never know what the weather will throw at you, so it’s best to pack for all eventualities, be it rain, shine (don’t forget your sun cream), boiling hot or a little bit on the nippy side. Spare trousers, socks and T-shirt are a good idea in case you get wet, and warm clothing to sleep in is super important under canvas.

 

 

 

 

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Torch and water bottle

That phone torch alone might not be enough to light up the faces of your new tent-mates, so it’s best to bring a stronger light source. In fact, you might want, “more than one if you're camping as it’s helpful to have extra light if you stay up talking,” Katie from the East Midlands said.
 
A water bottle for activities was also a top pick – whatever the weather you’ll need to stay hydrated during activities, so make sure to bring a reusable, refillable bottle to keep handy at all times.

Playing cards

Sometimes, keeping it simple is the way to go, and packs of cards do just that. Megan says “card games are a great way to chat and make friends with new people in your downtime.” As for Daisy, she reckons “Cheat is a great icebreaker!” What card games do you know that you can teach some new mates? Check out these classics. 

 

 

 

 

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Power banks and/or extension lead

As well as your phone charger (obviously!), Tegan found having an extension lead handy when everyone was trying to charge their phones at the same time. She said, "Be good to your roomies and have all your phones charged." Well said! Another option, suggested by Susie, is to take a power bank if you have one.

Bum bag

You can’t fit a Nintendo Switch in it but you can cram in a few of our other top-voted essentials. Leona from Nottingham said, “I wish I’d packed a bum bag. It would have been so useful to carry small items around. For example, a small mirror, some change, pens and a cheeky snack.” We like your style, Leona! 

And what about the things they were surprised they did without?

Phone

It turns out people were having too much fun to be checking WhatsApp and TikTok all the time. While most took their phones and wanted to keep them charged, many admitted to not actually looking at them very much.
 
“I was shocked that I managed to complete the whole programme without sticking on my phone and without my parents checking on me every minute,” Sajed from Grimsby said.
 
Katie was on the same page: “I had my phone with me but didn’t use it at all. Partly because I was camping and wanted to save the battery, but also because there was no need as everyone was very much in the present and talking or playing sports during free time.”

Everyone said when they did use their phone it was generally to take pictures (don’t forget to tag #MyNCS23). Although another top item many others wished they’d taken was a...

Disposable camera

Taking selfies on your phone is all good and well, but there’s something so satisfying about analogue film. Especially when you can’t actually see your pics until they’re developed…ooo the mystery! Megan said, “Instead of waiting to charge an electronic device I wish I’d brought a disposable camera to photograph what I did throughout the week.” And hey, even ‘real’ photos can be added to the My NCS Memories page, so get snapping!

So, save that battery, stay warm and keep a bottle of water near. Your local NCS team will be sending out a kit list too, which you can check against to make sure you’ve got everything you need to have an awesome experience!