Early Move In for Freshman

<p>Anyone or anyone's child move in early thru Hillel? If so how did it go?</p>

<p>My d is signed up to go. Would love to hear adviice also…was there help moving stuff in, or did you have to do it alone…</p>

<p>We signed up for it last year, unfortunately it was truncated by the hurricane and we were sent home. Still, it did allow my D and I to move her up into her room with little hullabaloo and chaos going on around us. There were just a few other girls moving into her dorm at the time. It was one of the smaller dorms and they were moving in for other reasons. It was easy and leisurely (although if that is a concern there were not all the campus helpers to schlep things upstairs for you). Then we got to go to BB&B and Target etc. for the additional things she wanted and needed before the hordes descended. Dinner was easy on Main Street. So the move-in part per se was excellent and I would highly recommend doing it it just for that reason alone.</p>

<p>Due to the Hurricane, we were sent home the next day (or rather strongly encouraged to leave which probably turned out to be unnecessary). And as a result the Hillel program was very truncated when she came back. D was a bit dissappointed but that certainly wasn’t Hillel’s fault. But as a result, I can’t totally comment on that part.</p>

<p>My DD did it her freshman year (she’s about to start junior year - where did the time go). The move-in was fine. She was on the first floor of Rodney F and it went fine. We did it alone. There were several other girls on her floor there for FreshmanFest.</p>

<p>Do you have any specific questions?</p>

<p>I was wondering if we will have enough time to move him in. I was told that we have to get there at 5 and be finished by 7:15. Is that enough time, do we get help? If we stayed overnight will we be able to go shopping if need be and meet him somewhere to give him the stuff?</p>

<p>I have sugggested to DD to let us pay the extra to move in early but she has thus far said no. What do you actually do when you “move in” your kid? Help them put sheets on, make bed, put clothes away, etc? Never having been away at school myself and with this my first, I welcome your input. Also, if you don’t do the early move in, do you know how rushed the process is? Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>Bill124, you might do those things, and others, depending on your kid. Also hook up or set up their computer for the network or if you just bought a new one, set up the printer. My D’s room mate’s dad helped his daughter set up the flat screen tv they brought. You might go out to buy plastic draws or under the bed storage. Or a hamper or things to hang hooks on the wall with the sticky backing that doesn’t destroy the wall. Stock the refrigerator, put in extra extensions or surge supressors for all the electric items (fan, computer, printer, phone charger, refrigerator, bed lamp, keurig coffee maker etc etc)</p>

<p>Furniture in dorm rooms can also be moved around and set up on different configurations. And the beds can be different heights to put furniture under it, or bunk them or to accomodate under bed storage or comfort. That’s best done with a rubber mallet, since you have to bang the metal spring frame out of the flanges in the two sides of the bed, move it up or down and then bang it back in.</p>

<p>Just like when she was a child learning to read in her bedroom back home, but reversed: “Oh the things you’ll do!”</p>

<p>stressedx3: Don’t be stressed about this. With DD, we moved all her stuff in the time frame (same as yours); at the same time, DH hooked up her computer/printer/wi-fi. And we raised her bed as high as it would go. That’s pretty much it. She then met her FreshmanFest group (7:15). We stayed in Newark that night, and went to Philly the next day with younger DS (he had never been). Had dinner with DD back in Newark – she said everyone was going out with their family – then took her to Target to get what she needed (super Target at the mall has supermarket in it too) and brought her back to her dorm and said our good-byes. We stayed in Newark again that night and were on the road early the next day. We had planned to shop with her Saturday morning, but we ended up getting it all done on Friday night after dinner. This was just as well because Saturday was move-in for all the other freshmen and we avoided that scene completely.</p>

<p>It all worked out fine. As much as you want to do, you really don’t have to do it all for D/S. You don’t have to put all the stuff away. It made me feel good to see the bed made and DH was happy to help set up the computer. But, really, DD did not want us putting her stuff away. This was her new space and she wanted to organize it herself. I felt a little rushed, but it really was ok. I think it was a combination of the timing and me freaking out that my oldest was going to college. It really was not a rush.</p>

<p>We did the “official” move in day and it was fine. I don’t recall feeling rushed, but I was a bit tired as we left home very early in the morning to get there by 9 a.m. or so. We didn’t spend a lot of time. A couple hours unloading car, unpacking, computer etc., then a trip to lunch. Our D felt very anxious and she said it would be easier for her if we left, which it probably was. It let her get started on meeting people. One advantage to waiting until the official day, if your student’s roommate is also moving in that day, you can meet him/her and his/her parents, which we did.</p>

<p>We did the official move-in, too and it was completely fine. There was a lot to do with setting up the computer, filling the fridge, putting stuff away. We also picked up my D’s books which we had pre-ordered. It was just a lot of stuff and we got done and left her all set up.</p>

<p>With regard to pre-ordering books, is that based on checking with bookstore under the class and professor name or was your D notified of the necessary books by the professor or some other means? thanks.</p>

<p>If you go to your student’s schedule on UDSIS, in the upper right corner of the schedule it will say “Find my textbooks.” That will take you to the school’s barnes and noble page and will show you everything you need. I highly recommend using the ISBN numbers there and looking elsewhere for the books. You can find them for much, much cheaper. However, there are certain books that you’ll have to buy from the bookstore, like chemistry lecture manuals and lab manuals, since they are custom made by the professors and won’t be sold elsewhere.</p>

<p>One other thing that may be relevant on move-in day. The furniture might be placed in the middle of the room or set up in a way that doesn’t work for your student. All kidding aside, the furniture is HEAVY. Really, really heavy. So consider that.</p>

<p>Thanks very much for the information regarding books as well as the information regarding lifting (and all of the other useful posts). Very helpful.</p>

<p>Sorry for another question. D wants to change a class without rearranging whole schedule. Is there a catalog online that shows classes and times offered or must changes be done through Advisor? Many thanks again.</p>

<p>Are you talking about switching to a different section of the same course or a totally different course? If it is a different course she needs to speak to her advisor about it first before doing anything.</p>

<p>You can find the schedule for all classes on-line at the Delaware Course Selection site.</p>

<p>My D also did the Hillel Freshman Fest last year. I also ended up bringing her home the next day but she did have dinner and breakfast with the group. I bought some of her books online but also ordered some books and supplies from Lieberman’s. If you tell Lieberman’s that you are going to be at Freshman Fest, they will bag your books and have them waiting for your child at the Hillel building.</p>

<p>Thank you Mawllenmd. It is to change to a different course. Looked up professor rating for a non-required course as suggested and all (only 5 or 6) were horrible. Hope it isn’t hard to do but she’ll find out. Thanks again.</p>

<p>Not hard to do at all. Just a click of a button on UDSIS. The only question is whether she can find something appropriate to fit in her schedule.</p>

<p>Any suggestions on renting vs buying compact refrigerator/freezer? UD wants as much to rent as it costs to buy but I guess it saves trouble of bringing in…</p>