PREPARING FOR COLLEGE MOVE-IN DAY

                Whether you’re rooming with a friend from your hometown or a complete stranger, when you have to share a living space that’s probably smaller than a bedroom you had all to yourself at home, it can be a challenge.   To prepare for college dorm life you need to do your homework.  With some careful planning (and careful packing) you can arrive prepared to have a great college experience.

READ WHAT YOUR COLLEGE SENDS YOU

They have lots of experience with how to make move-in day as smooth as possible and they’ll help you avoid some of the mistakes that people before you have made.  Some of them are:

•  Waiting until move-in day to buy supplies – expect long lines and higher prices on campus for   computer and office supplies, storage and shelving units, etc.
• Taking your own desk chair, desk lamp, or wastebasket.  Don’t waste your money buying those color-coordinated items that are found in stores in abundance from mid- to late summer – if these items are already provided by the school they’re probably required to stay in the room.  Even though they may be somewhat industrial, you’re probably stuck with them.  To make them    more bearable, buy a brightly colored seat cushion and cover the wastebasket with removable contact paper.
• Bringing two of everything.  As soon as you get the contact information for your new roommate, get in touch with them and start talking about how to divide up the list of necessities  you will bring to the living space.  You won’t have room for two televisions, two microwaves,  two game systems, two area rugs, etc., so save yourself some money and space by working it out with your roommates ahead of time.

DORM ROOM DETAILS

Check the college website for room layouts. In a typical double occupancy dorm room, you can expect to have 24-36 inches of clothes hanging space with some room above or below for shoe storage or a laundry basket, 3-4 dresser drawers, a desk with a drawer or two, and possibly some room under the bed for a flat storage bin, and a couple of coat hooks.  Keep this in mind when packing. Measure out about 30 inches of hanging space in your closet at home, and don’t take any more that what will fit in that space.  If you have a floor to ceiling closet in your dorm room take advantage of hangers that will hold multiple pairs of pants or skirts. 

Hint – if your school allows lofting of the beds, I recommend doing it.  Taking advantage of the vertical space in the room frees up a lot of floor space.  This makes it more reasonable to entertain bringing some other comforts from home, i.e. a futon to sit on and to house overnight guests, a chair, television stand or shelving unit.  Check to see if your university has arrangements with a company that provides bed lofting equipment, usually for a low annual rental fee which includes set-up and tear-down.  It’s worth every penny!

THE BIG DAY

Plan to move in on the stated move-in day.  This is the day when the school is most likely to have modified traffic patterns to get you onto campus and get your vehicle as close as possible to your dorm.  Many schools will have a move-in squad, a group of students and volunteers that have been trained to help you get through the check-in process, get you to your dorm, help you unload and maybe even get your belongings to your room.

Plan to arrive at the prescribed time.  If the school suggests getting there between 9 and 11, try to make that window.  The school knows that by staggering student arrival times there is a better chance of avoiding bottlenecks on the streets and in the hallways.

Have a change of clothes ready – after you’ve arranged and rearranged the furniture, crawled under desks to plug in your electronics, and hauled boxes for what seems like miles, you’re going to want to have a fresh change of clothes before you head to a restaurant or bookstore!