Seeing as I move back into my apartment on campus in less than three days, I figure it’s probably a good idea to start packing all my stuff together that I want to bring with me.
I should do that. But have I? Of course not! That’s what the night before is for!
Get ready – it’s time to move-in to college!
While this certainly is not a recommended method for you to take when preparing for move-in, it always seems to be the inevitable for me. I mean how hard is it really to throw together some pants, some shirts, some books, some sheets, some posters, some shoes, some bathroom stuff, some kitchen stuff, some games, some movies, some electronics, some laundry stuff, some storage containers and some decorations?
Oh. Looking at this list just reminded me why last-minute packing is a terrible idea. After all, you’re pretty much moving your entire life from one place to another, likely much smaller place. That kind of condensing takes thought, effort and a whole lot of organization.
After three years of going through move-in day, I like to think that I have a little bit of credibility when it comes to giving advice on what you should and shouldn’t do when you move into your college dorm. Therefore, I have compiled a handy dandy list of my dos and don’ts on move-in day! (You’re welcome.)
DO get there as early as you can. Not only do you get to pick which side of the room you want, you also avoid having to maneuver around a lot of the other students who are moving in around your dorm building.
DO have a game plan. If you can visit the room early, figure out how you want to have your furniture arranged for maximum space and also decide where you want to put all of your belongings. If you can’t see the room early, a general idea of how you want to set up your room will make move-in much less stressful.
DON’T come without some helping hands! Don’t just wave your parents off the minute you get to campus – have them stay to help you get all of your stuff together (and you know, say goodbye and all that). Especially when it comes to moving furniture, having a parent or friend or even your new roommate to help you is essential!
DON’T put off putting your belongings away. It is so easy to want to just pick your side, throw your suitcase on the bed and go socialize with everyone else. DON’T DO IT! Otherwise you’ll just keep putting it off and you’ll end up living out of a suitcase until Thanksgiving. You should consider your dorm your home, not a temporary hotel!
I’ll end with a final DO: only pack what you know you’ll need! It’s incredible how much stuff accumulates over the course of the year and you always come back with more than you brought. So to save your self some time and the pain of trying to figure out how the heck you’re going to get everything home at the end of the year, start off by not over-packing. Do you really need that second hairdryer in case your first one dies? Do you have to bring your entire collection of souvenir coffee mugs? Will you actually re-read the entire Harry Potter series while you’re at school? Ask yourself these questions and if the answer is no, leave it at home. If you find you need it, have mom and dad send it to you or go back for it on a long weekend.
Best of luck to all of you moving onto campus for the first time! And for you veterans, use your experience to your advantage to make your move-in go much more smoothly than it did the first time. (And, if you have any extra tips please share them!)
Here’s to a great new school year! It’s going to be a great one.
Until next time,
Laura
