College Move in Day: Everything You Need to Know

College move in day is a busy time with a lot of things that need to be taken care of. From packing to unpacking and scheduling reminders, here’s everything you need to know to make it successful and carefree.

It’s the start of your college adventure! Whether you are flying abroad, moving in to the college down the road, going to another state, or taking your courses online, you will experience college move in day in your own way.

Because this is the beginning of a new journey that will be filled with many changes, it’s helpful to know what to expect and be well-prepared to avoid any unnecessary feelings of stress. Let’s take a look at everything you need to know before you get to moving.

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What You Need

Before you actually make the move, you’ll spend quite some time packing and preparing. Be sure to check out this ultimate guide to your college packing list.

Even if you’re choosing to study online and not actually move out of where you currently reside, there are supplies and resources you can use to help keep you focused.

Things to Know/Check

Move in day is crowded and often works in allotted time slots. If you’re moving abroad or out of state, try to arrive to the location at least a day early. If it’s within your state, arrive on time.

So, how will you get there?

Before the day arrives, take a look at the weather and be prepared for rain or sunshine. Additionally, use tools like Google Maps or Waze to assess traffic before getting in the car so that you can be sure you plan accordingly and take the best route. The school will likely provide you with a map and directions, which should include where you can park and how much it may cost to do so.

Things to Check Before Moving

Along with the logistics of arriving to the campus and unloading your belongings, you’ll want to be sure to check out the following or ask these questions:

• Is there an elevator?
• How much do you have/do you need a moving truck?
• Do you need a dolly or cart?

Your Living Situation

Before you start college, you’ll be assigned your living conditions. These will likely have been pre-selected by you during the enrollment process, but you are not always guaranteed to get your first-choice pick.

Check out how many roommates you’ll have and how the suite is set up. Some colleges have shared bathrooms within suites on each floor or for the entire hallway. You’ll want to get a good assessment of the level of privacy you’ll have and the necessary supplies you’ll need. For example, you’ll probably want to pack some flip flops for the shower and a caddy to move your supplies from your dorm to the showers.

How to Pack to Unpack

Some may find unpacking to be more tedious than packing in the first place. But, if you follow these handy tips, it can expedite your unpacking process and save you a lot of time!

Tips

• Pack bedding all together and wash everything before you leave home
• Can use a garbage bag with hanging items on hangers already
• Use storage containers as packing boxes and place items that will remain in storage in them already so you don’t even have to unpack these boxes
• Organize how and when your furniture will arrive in advance. If you are traveling with lamps, be sure to secure the light bulbs and use bubble wrap for anything delicate like plates or cups

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What to Bring/Wear

On move in day, you’ll be exercising…a lot! Be sure to check the weather beforehand to dress accordingly, but more importantly, wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

Also, pack some snacks and eat a filling breakfast that will fuel you with energy for the busy day.

Reminders to Schedule

Along with moving all your items to a new abode, you’ll want to set some reminders so that you don’t forget to do the following when school starts.

Of course, you can’t forget to enroll in your classes. Universities generally assign each student with a date and time for which they can sign up for classes. Be sure to set a reminder on your phone’s calendar or in your planner so you don’t miss this time slot.

In the same vein as reminding yourself when to enroll, be sure to mark down when the last day is to drop a class should you need to.

Once you’ve gotten settled in, the university is likely to host internship and career fairs. These are a great place to begin your networking adventure to land a job during or after college. Mark it on your calendar!

You may be thinking you haven’t even started this year, but it’s still useful to know when you’ll need to organize accommodation for the following school year. Whether you choose to stay in dorms, live in on-campus apartments, or move off campus, it pays to know when the process begins so that you don’t fall too far behind.

Moving into an Online University

Of course when you choose to take classes at an online university like University of the People, your schedule and “move in” will be quite different from that of a traditional campus experience.

Not only is the choice yours as to when you attend class, but you’ll also be able to login from anywhere. In this instance, you should still consider setting up a workspace in which you can stay focused. Whether that’s finding a place to learn nearby that’s quiet, or working from your home, you want to be able to separate your life from your school.

There are also deadlines for online universities, so be sure to set reminders for when to enroll and outline your coursework in advance to plan how long it will take you to graduate, as well as the necessary finances. At University of the People, the programs are tuition-free, so you only have to plan for course assessment fees and a one-time payment for an application fee. If need be, scholarships are available to cover the cost of course assessment fees.

The Bottom Line

Moving away or staying put and starting your college career should be an exciting experience. Although it will likely have some stressful aspects, you can prepare ahead of time to limit the amount of worry that is involved during the process. Instead, you can have everything ready to go and your reminders set so that you can pack and unpack in a carefree manner and be in the right headspace to start your first day of school!