Storage? How much would that go for?
I would think it makes more sense to just ship it home.
Here’s a couple of alternatives for summer storage in Tuscaloosa.
http://www.dormroommovers.com/how-it-works/
http://www.cblorder.com/magento/index.php/summer-storage.html/
The less “stuff” you have, the less you have to worry about storage. Many students share a storage space with friends. We had a huge space with RMs and I think we all paid between $150 and $200 each for the whole summer.
No, don’t ship it home. First off, you will be taking finals, writing last papers and studying at the same time you would have to pack/ship.
The student is required to be out of the dorm within 24 hours of their last exam, so the logistics of getting your items to the postal service would just be an additional thing to do. Then of course, there would be the cost of shipping, insurance and possible breakage etc. In addition, you would have to do the same all over again for the following year.
You will have made tons of friends, many with cars, so just ask around and form a group to store stuff with. Rent a climate controlled unit and get the smallest you can all use. They are like small rooms, so plan on stacking and stuffing. A good size unit could easily hold 2 to four peron’s items depending on the amount of stuff. Estimate your items boxed up and then visualize it stacked up (get the picture?). All the boxes and everthing you need can be purchased at the storage unit or you could purchase a set of boxes online and have them shipped to the post office on campus. This is much cheaper if you split the box order with others. Be aware that boxes when folded down and shipped in groups of ten (usually) are fairly heavy.
Here’s a tip, I left a small folding handcart (like the ones you used to carry luggage on) in my student’s dorm to move stuff and pick up large packages. I know it came in handy at move-out/ move-in time. Fold it, put it in a closet or under a bed and it’s there when you need it.
The cost if divided by 4 or even 2 students should not exceed $150-200, again depending on the size of the unit. However, you will and should pay more for a climate controlled storage unit.
You can box all non-essentials early, weed out what you will never need again, and seperately what you will be taking home. You can start this at least a few weeks early and then be all set to make a storage run with your friends.
Sometimes parents come down and move the student out.
There are also services that will pick up your boxes (which they even provide), store them over the summer, and deliver them back to your dorm or apartment, at reasonable cost. DS stored his TV, xbox, iHome, laundry basket with linens and bedding, printer, and other items for under $300. Not much more than splitting a storage unit with friends, but very convenient.
We are from Philly. Things to plan as OOS:
- Leave a $ cushion. Son's flight back to school this semester was cancelled. He had to take a next day flight. This meant his ride from the airport could no longer get him. Wound up on a shared ride with Crown Limo at a fee of $65.
- Plan for summer storage. My son was able to share a unit and paid $85 for the summer.
- Bama is FANTASTIC to ship things to. Even if you don't pay a fee to rent a mailbox, all UA students are given a mail address for packages. At move in, they even helped students get the packages from the central mail location to the individual dorms. The logistics of move-in was super easy...
My son is in his second year. He has driven to move in, flown home at breaks and year end, driven to Washington, D.C., taken the train to D.C. and his girlfriend has taken a Greyhound down. His preferred method is to fly.
I spoke to my parents about this (forgot to tell you) and my parents are pretty much saying that they don’t want me to go to Alabama because they think transportation is cumbersome and don’t like how far Birmingham is from Tuscaloosa. How can I convince them that it isn’t that difficult? I would be happy in Alabama!
^ It is a bit cumbersome, but manageable. You will be taking two flights (the few direct flights will never fit your schedule), plus an hour ride to/from the campus, plus whatever ride you have in NY. We live about 30 mins from the NY airports, and my son makes the trip in 7-8 hours door to door. What other schools are you considering, and how long will it take to get there?
A 65 minute ride to/from the airport is not that bad considering you’re only doing it a few times each year and Birmingham has a relatively large number of flights. I’ve seen a number of schools advertise how close they are to the nearest airport, yet that airport only has 2-4 flights per day on small regional aircraft. Airfare skyrockets during breaks when a couple thousand students plus locals want one of ~200 seats each day. Birmingham has enough flights where that’s not so much of an issue provided one is somewhat flexible on their departure time. For example, if the 2:00 PM departure is too expensive, maybe the 3:15 PM departure will be affordable or you could leave at 2:30 PM and connect in a different city.
For those taking shuttles soon, note these changes, as quoted from an email from UA earlier today:
"Please note a change in the reservation deadline for the Spring Break and end of semester shuttles. Reservations will now close 2 days prior to the scheduled shuttle departure to allow more time to coordinate the number of drivers and buses needed. Thursday, March 12th reservations will close on March 10th at 3pm. Friday, March 13th reservations will close on March 11th at 3pm. Reservations for Saturday, March 14th, Saturday March 21st and Sunday March 22nd will all close on March 12th at 3pm. Please see the reservation site for more information at http://housing.ua.edu "
Didn’t see it mentioned but the cost of the UA shuttle from campus to the BHM airport is available Fall Break, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break and at end of spring semester. Cost is reasonable: $30 one way, $50 round trip. Required to book several days before departure. Never sells out—they just add more buses. My DD has used it for 3 trips and very easy and convenient. Just look at the shuttle schedule and plan your trips accordingly.