Deciding on a school is just the beginning of your college experience. The real stuff begins with preparations and moving into your first dorm or apartment. Although you may be looking forward to your newfound freedom and living the way you want, moving in and getting settled has to come before the fun. You can move on to meeting new people, finding your way around campus, and attending events after putting the best tips for moving into your college dorm into practice.
Coordinate With Your New Roommate
If you’re moving into a dorm, you’ll most likely have a roommate. That said, coordinating with this person before the move-in day has many advantages. For instance, there’s no reason to have two futons, mini-fridges, microwaves, or any other large item you can share.
Aside from discussing necessity items, you should also talk about timing when it comes to move-in day. If you and your roommate try to bring all of your stuff into the room simultaneously, it might get chaotic. Staggering your timing is an effective way to prevent congestion.
Pack Your Clothes Accordingly
You probably have a lot of clothes for every season, but you might not be able to bring everything to college. With that in mind, you’ll have to pick and choose what you pack; be sure to have clothes suitable for the current season and all the essentials every college girl must have. You’ll most likely need different types of clothes for various occasions and events, but a massive wardrobe isn’t necessary; after all, there are washing machines.
Pro-Tip
Keep your shirts on hangers and bundle them together in garbage bags to cut down on packing and unpacking time.
Bring Essential Tools
You never know if you’ll need a screwdriver, hammer, or another basic tool for move-in day. Although the university may supply tools, carts, dollies, etc., for everyone to use, you won’t have to wait to use them if you bring your own. Moving in may take half the time if you have everything you need to make it a successful day. Additionally, bringing a bunch of temporary adhesive hooks and anchors makes it possible to hang all of your decor without worry.
Arrive Early and Prepared
Even though move-in day is usually a whole day, coming early is the most effective way to be efficient. Most people will come mid-day, making it the busiest and most congested time to get into your dorm and bring in your belongings. However, arriving early in the morning gives you more time to get settled. Be sure to bring everything you need for your room and a few friends or family members to help you carry everything inside. It’s going to be a lot of work, and you shouldn’t do it alone.
Hopefully, knowing the best tips for moving into your college dorm will set you up for a successful move-in day and first year at school. You’ll probably meet many new people on this day—don’t forget to stop and take it all in.
