College is 7 hours drive and I have 2 days.
Plan one: Drive there the day before. Drop off at designated hour next morning and then head back at some point late in the afternoon.
Plan two: Drive the day of the drop off and arrive at dorm late after designated hour. Stay overnight and do some of the parent orientation the next day. Head back home late in the afternoon.
What’s better?
2 nights is not an option?
Which would your student prefer? I tend to say drop off late only because it will be less busy… Also, sometimes the parent orientation can be useful.
Plan one is the one we always followed with about same distance. Went day before, stayed in special hotel and had wonderful dinner together. Nice bonding time before you are dropping them off into the great beyond. That way you get in early the next day and can help more with the room set up or last minute trip to Target or bookstore if they forgot something they need. We found a couple to a few hours is the most you need to spend with them at drop off, so they can go on with their day and meet people. Maybe grab lunch before you head back. imo parent orientation is not necessary and doesn’t present anything crucial, they are the ones going to college.
I agree completely with blueskies2day. The day of the drop off is typically cut short by the college itself, which at some point sends the students in one direction and the parents in another – perhaps after a general convocation of some kind. We had exactly this experience at two different colleges.
Instead of hanging around after drop-off, it’s time for you to return home. And time for your student to do some socializing and bonding with new roommates and dormmates. But make plans (and hotel reservations) to come back perhaps for “family day” or whatever they may call it later in the semester. Use that time to do a little shopping with your student – clothing, things for the dorm, plus a nice meal.
Plan one - get there first and choose your side of the room. Plus, you will have time to do the Walmart or whatever run if needed. Leave after lunch and drive home in a leisurely way.
I would do plan one.
We are going most of the way the day before. Drop off next day which we assume will be a zoo. Let him go on his own that evening. Stay over. Take care of any last min runs to target etc. the next am. A good breakfast/lunch. Then he is on his own. We’ll probably stay an extra night for ourselves and re-live our youth. 
I would do Plan 1. There is often a schedule on the first day…kids move in and then have some orientation activities to get the parents out of the way. Parent orientation is another way to get parents out of the way. Most of the info you probably have…you can ask them for the info anyway.
Also if there are any delays/issues you have extra time.
Plan 1. There is a set drop off time for a reason. It isn’t unusual for there to be a floor or dorm meeting a couple of hours after drop off ends.
You mentioned parent orientation. I found those pretty valuable for my kids. Definitely helped me get a better feel for the school, and I even picked up tips about a program my D missed hearing about that she was later able to take advantage of. If the school has specific parent events, why not stay 2 nights if you can? You may need to make a run to the local target, etc. the day of drop off. Respect the boundaries the college sets when dropoff/parent activities are over, but nothing wrong with staying for them.
Unfortunately I can not stay for two nights due to work constraints. There is an orientation portion specific to parents the day after drop off for a few hours. I am still debating.
Plan 1 - we have the same distance. No need to combine a long drive with a drop-off - two events which often go smoothly, but in case they don’t, not great to have them both on the same day.
Many times schools will live stream the parent events because they know not everyone can make it.
I would do plan one and focus on kid schedule rather than a parent orientation.
Also you’ll be able to move without being dead tired-- and drop off can be stressful. Have a nice evening before and a good nights sleep–it’ll be much more pleasant.
The drop off times are often scheduled to have extra help available for moving. You’ll get to meet the roommates and other parents. And choose sides of the room if early enough. And as already mentioned sometimes there are planned activities for students immediately afterward so they can meet each other and do their own orientation of sorts.
Not sure what they have at a parents orientation that you can’t find out from the website–it’s probably more to get parents out of the kid’s way.
Do this.
I can’t imagine why you would plan to arrive after a designated drop off time. Unless there is some really good reason for doing so…arrive during your designated time.
Parent orientation is the day after drop off? That suggests parents aren’t being ushered out after drop off, then.
I like Plan One though.
We had 7.5 hour drive. Let’s say Move-In Day was Friday. I drove her down Wednesday afternoon and we checked into the hotel & hung out. Thursday, we roamed campus and the town at our leisure, ran some errands, D applied to for a job, and we had a very nice day together.
Friday was all business. Got her to her dorm in the morning, helped her get her stuff upstairs, gave her a kiss goodbye and I left. I went to lunch there in town, hung out about an hour, and sent her one last text. I’m heading out, need anything? Nope, she was good.
IME, hanging out for lunch and sending that last text helped ease the strong emotions of saying goodbye.
When we dropped DS, the room next to him had 2 girls who arrived “on time” but out of courtesy, they were waiting for the third before setting up the room, unpacking, choosing beds etc. I was impressed by their kindness but also thinking that when the third arrived (late in the day with tons of stuff and after the designated helpers were gone), she sure as heck should have been grateful to them for waiting and giving up many of their own orientation activities to accommodate her schedule. Perhaps it was unavoidable.
Still, having watched that, i would think that for your kid’s sake, staying with the student schedule is likely to be of greater benefit to everyone (including starting roommate relationships on a good note) than attending parent orientation.
Go the night before. Make a reservation at a nicer restaurant and have a good dinner. Say what you need/want then, while you are relaxed and calm. It’ll make the goodbye easier because as much as you are prepared for it, it feels very big and sudden.
Plan 1. Give your kid every opportunity to move in and transition easily. Arriving late to the party is always more nerve wracking.
Yes, plan 1 if you can’t stay 2 nights. Better to be on time for move in.