Moving into a dorm room for the first time is probably going to be one of the biggest things most college students have ever done. There are many details to read and remember and many things to organize and plan.
Students will need to separate the things they can’t or shouldn’t take with them from the things they absolutely must have with them while they’re at college. And, knowing that most dorm rooms are about the size of a postage stamp, the amount of belongings you can take is pretty limited. On moving day, everything should be completely ready, except for putting everything into the car and then unloading it at your destination.
College Classes Resources
Students should receive letters and/or emails from the college’s Housing Office that are meant to help with the pre-move preparations. Read everything. You’ll need to know every detail so that, when it’s time to begin making decisions, preparing, and packing, you’re ready to take on the task. Not only are students moving out on their own for the first time, this might even be the first time you’ve moved at all, so it’s natural to feel nervous or even a bit scared.
You can go to discount stores and/or department stores to find what you need for your college dorm. It’s best to create lists for each important category such as bedding and linens, cleaning items, and health and toiletries.
After reading the list of items you’ve been told to leave at home, you may be looking all around your room, wondering how you’ll live without your hardcover Little Women or Harry Potter books. First, it’s possible you won’t have much, if any, time for recreational reading. You love to create in whatever medium you’ve chosen but that box of oils or yarn for crocheting will likely have to stay at home. Again, you’ll have little time for crafting. And if you find that you can make the space and the time, you can always pick them up the first time you’re home.
You can use this list to really think about what you’ll need while you’re at college, but keep in mind – colleges are different in what they allow and what they already provide. If you haven’t read the information they sent you about what you need to bring or aren’t allowed to bring, you should do that now.
Moving day is getting closer and closer. You’ve read the lists of things you need and have a mental list of what has to stay at home. You’ve been going to the store with one of your parents to buy what you need. You’ve even emailed the Housing Office to check on items you’re not sure of. There are excellent reasons some things, like toasters or candles with an open flame, may not be allowed (health and safety).
Now, you’re just days away from leaving home to go to college. It’s time to begin packing everything. Make sure you have permanent markets, packing tape, boxes, and scissors ready. You want the unpacking process to go as smoothly as possible, so you’ll need to be as organized as you can in your planning and packing. If you have already had a conversation or three with your new roommate, keep the conversations going. As well as being a good “get to know you” practice, you can spend part of your conversations deciding who will bring what.
Today is moving day - it’s time to leave your home and family so that you can move into a small dorm room that houses two college students. You’ve probably been preparing for today for quite a while—it may feel as though you’ve been at this for years at this point. You’ve read the Housing Office letters; spoken to older siblings who have lived in the dorms; read blog articles and generally tried to glean as much information as you could.
After eating breakfast, you and your family load up the car and depart; here are some tips to keep in mind: