First year college move in – what a time. There are so many emotions happening during college move in, especially the first one. There’s the stress of getting a lot done in a given time window. The impact of the heat, or if there isn’t heat then rain, and the impending dehydration or everything being wet. It’s a long day with a lot of travel, standing in lines and making sure that you’re going through everything the right way. There are the emotions of leaving home for the first time, with parents wanting to spend as much of this time as possible with their child as the child gets excited about making new friends. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
At this point, I’ve not only moved in to college myself three times, but done first-year and upper classman move-in for two years as a resident assistant. I’ve seen a lot and I’ve experienced it first hand. Now that we’ve established that move in can be a lot, let’s break down what you need to make it successful!
Successful First-Year College Move-In Must-Have’s:
Scissors
You bought a bunch of new furniture for your new room, and now you need to unpack it. Scissors are so helpful!
Tape
Hanging things up becomes so much easier! You never know when you’ll suddenly need it, make sure it’s on hand.
Cleaning Products
Right now it seems that most universities are undergoing major cleaning initiatives to prepare to welcome students back in the age of COVID-19. However, its always better to be safe than sorry. Maybe there’s some dust from your room sitting vacant, maybe you want to be sure that the cleaning was thorough, maybe you’re worried about allergens, the list goes on. Cleaning products are a move-in day essential because you don’t know what you’re walking into. All-purpose cleaners are great, paper towels are a must-have, I even recommend having your vacuum cleaner handy if your room is carpeted to keep your room fresh during and after move-in because there is usually a lot of movement and people tracking things in and out.
Trash Bags
Unpacking things creates a lot of waste, and you aren’t going to want to have it sitting around your room! Clean it up and clear it out! Trash bags are a godsend on move-in day. Make sure you have yours ready to go!
Tools
Hammer, Phillips head screwdriver, flathead screwdriver – with all that new stuff you’re going to have to do some assembling. Something I learned the hard way? Assembly isn’t always easy. I actually had to wait to put together some of my stuff until my mom could come back a few days later and build my furniture with me (I moved in early my first year!). Look at what you have for your room, figure out what tools you need, decide if you want to build things before or after you move in, and plan accordingly.
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Snacks
Snacks! Snacks are key. It will likely be hot, you’re going to be tired, and you’re probably going to be missing lunch. Bring. Fuel. No one wants to be trying to move with a bunch of people who are hangry. It will not go well. As an RA I can always tell when families didn’t think ahead and bring snacks as I see younger siblings melting down or parents shouting about needing to move something.
Water
Move-in day is usually hot. Even if it isn’t, you’re going to be moving around a lot, there are going to be a lot of people moving around, dehydration is not something you’re going to want to deal with. Bring water with you to move-in day. Bring extra water with you. And make sure you have water for everyone who is coming with you.
At my university, we literally have at least two people stationed in every building on move-in day whose job it is to pass out water to everyone moving in. Yes, we take this very seriously. You should too!
Comfortable Shoes/Clothes
I’m sure you want to make a good impression on your new roommate and their family, your hallmates, and future classmates. But you’re also moving in to college. Keyword: moving.
Some schools won’t let you use the elevators during move-in (mine is one of them and I do not envy the people who move into the ninth floor of a building). You don’t know how far parking will be from the building you’re moving into, how warm the building will be, how far you’ll have to walk once you’re in the building, if you’ll have to wait in line, etc. There are a lot of variables and the bottom line is that you’re going to want to be comfortable because no one wants to start college with blisters because you wanted to wear impractical shoes for move-in.
Patience
Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of students are being moved into a building in a single day. This requires a lot of orchestration, its really easy for something to go wrong, you’re going to want to go into move-in day with a mindset of patience. It will relieve stress and make the move-in experience that much smoother!
Your ID
At my university, in order to use a big bin to unload your things on move-in day, you write down your information and receive the bin in exchange for your license. This helps us keep track of the bins and when you return the bin you get your license back. Some universities may ask for your ID to verify your identity before giving you your key, others won’t, but it is always good to be prepared!
Now that you know what you need…
How should you go about keeping these things available to you? I highly recommend putting all of these move-in day essentials together in a box or bag that will be the first thing you bring in to your room during move-in. That way, you’re ready to go when everything makes its way into your room. You also can get started cleaning right away, which is always my first step when I move in to college!
And now you’re ready for a successful first year college move in!
Good luck with move-in day, friends! I wish you all the best.
