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College Move-In Day

The big day has arrived! Moving in will be very enjoyable if you plan the day well. The tips and suggestions below will help to prepare you for the move-in day chaos!

I. You will not be the only one moving in.
You will only be one of hundreds, or even thousands of new students moving in at the same time! The later in the day it gets, the more scarce parking will get, and the longer the lines will be. Don't make the mistake of showing up late in the day, or you won't be leaving until late at night. Go to bed early the night before, keeping in mind that you will be nervous and it will take you longer to fall asleep.

II. Have everything done the night before.
The night before you leave is important. Start early and get yourself organized so you are ready to go in the morning. Make a written list of everything you are bringing and check it off as you pack it in the car. This way you can look at your list in the middle of the trip and reassure yourself that you didn't forget anything.

III. First come first serve!
Assuming you will have roommates, whoever gets to school first will have their pick of the best side of the room, best bed, best desk, and best dresser. This is a sensitive subject. If you arrive first and claim your side of the room without consulting your roommate you may create some resentment very early in your relationship. A better idea would be to wait and talk out a compromise with your roommate. If all else fails try drawing straws. Work together if you are not concerned about getting to school first to reserve your spot. Set up a mutual arrival time when you contact your roommate to decide what each of you will be responsible for bringing. This way you can get to school at the same time and help each other move in. This is a great icebreaker!

IV. Teamwork is the key to getting everything done in a timely manner.
Once you get to school it's all about teamwork. If you are lucky enough to have your family, or someone else there helping you, assign tasks and get stuff done. There are a million things that must be done in the short time that everyone will be there to help. You will have to get all your belongings into your room and get your school ID photo taken. If your school has Ethernet (99% do) you will need to get a card installed in your computer (unless you already did), you will need to buy your books, and do countless other things. Do everything that involves lines first, such as buying books, signing in, getting your ID photo taken, Ethernet instillation, and room checks. If you arrived at school first you have your choice of the best side of the room. Take some of your stuff and mark your territory. Throw your computer monitor on your desk, a few shirts in your dresser, and some books on your bed. Only do this if you decided not to talk with your roommate before picking sides of the room. This way your roommate won't steal your side of the room when you are out beating the lines. Again, it is recommended that you talk with your roommate about who gets what side of the room. Some things you have to do, and some things you can allocate to your helpful family or friends. For instance, your ID photo is something that you can't have someone else take for you. But you could have someone get your Ethernet card installed while someone else heads to the bookstore for your books.

V. Get to the bookstore quickly if you don't already have your books.
As we mentioned earlier in the section "What About Books," used books are less expensive and sell out quickly. If you (or a helpful friend/family member) get to the bookstore early when the used books are still available you will save a lot of money. With that said, be careful about what used books you buy. Some may be missing pages or the words may have been highlighted so many times that they are illegible. If this is the case it is better to buy a new book. The higher cost of a new book is well worth a better grade. Some used books are better than new ones! If you have a moment to thumb through a number of used books, examine them very closely. You may come across a book that was previously owned by an excellent student. Some used books have thorough notes in the margins, main subjects outlined at the end of chapters, and vocabulary and other topics already highlighted for you. This can be very helpful. Just remember that buying a used book like this doesn't give you an excuse to not read the material yourself! If you don't get to the bookstore early enough to get used books, look for an off-campus bookstore that is not associated with your school. Read more about off-campus bookstores in the "Shopping" section under "What About Books" earlier in the guide.

VI. Save the receipts from everything (especially books) you buy during move-in day.
A receipt is your proof that you forked over money for goods or services. At the end of the year, or the semester, you will be returning many things that you purchase on move-in day. The school will give you more money back for returned items if you can prove you bought them in the first place. For example, the school does not want students stealing books so they can cash them in at the end of the year for a profit. To discourage this behavior, the school will pay more for a book that is returned with a receipt than they will for a book returned without a receipt. In short, saving your receipts saves you money!

VII. Don't Pay For Someone Else's Mistake.
Sometime during your first day a resident advisor (RA) will come by to make a list of any damage that your room has. The school will save this list, and the room will be checked again before you move out. If any new damage is discovered the repair bill will be given to you, or an unhappy parent. This is why it is important to give your room a thorough inspection and record any damages. If you overlook something you could end up paying for damages that you're not responsible for. The most common damage to rooms, and areas you should pay special attention to are gashes or missing paint on the walls, malfunctioning equipment like heaters or air conditioners, damage to any of the furniture, or damage to windows or window screens.

VIII. Get to know Your Resident Advisor.
The RA is a student too. He or she has just opted to collect on free housing in return for their personal services. The RA is responsible for upholding regulations, working out disputes and watching who comes and goes from the building, along with many other things. Ultimately, your RA will be the one who you will have to answer to if you get in trouble. If you get to know your RA before they decide your fate, your chances of survival are much better. Break the ice by having a friendly conversation with your RA when they come by to inspect your room.

IX. Get familiar with your new surroundings.
Once you get settled and have a moment to think, do a dry run of your schedule. Go to every building that you will have a class in, and remember how to get to them. If you're familiar with campus you won't have to worry about getting lost and being late on you first day of classes. Not to mention the embarrassment when you walk in late and everyone is staring at you.

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