He was in Payne in the RLC for two years. Payne is tricky. You don’t just pull up front. You park in the Owens parking lot and hump everything up hill to the dorm. They have giant laundry trolleys that make it easier. We moved in before the Hokie Helpers were on duty. It definitely pays to stay in Blacksburg the night before. It will be pandemonium at high noon on Wednesday. He moved in and out of the dorm twice and I never heard any families arguing or complaining. Everyone is so nice. Be flexible and if things are busy go off campus and have lunch for an hour and relax. I just came here today because younger son is now planning to attend VT. Older son will be a senior this fall and is a Hokie Ambassador. They are the volunteers that walk backwards and give tours. If you are the parent of a Hokie there is a FB page called “Virginia Tech Parents.” I promise someone will screen shot the Orientation schedule when it comes out. That group quelled my freshmen anxiety quite a bit.
Just an FYI… last year S’s dorm had staff at all doors and would not allow anyone who wasn’t an RA or authorized early in the night before. Friend’s son tried the same at their res hall and were turned away.
We are coming in late Wed evening …. try to get early start Thursday am right at 8am.
Just finished my first year at Tech
1 I definitely recommend a clip on fan, so you can clip it onto the side of your bed while you sleep. I was in a dorm with AC and was still warm so it was a life saver.
2 Be prepared for rain ALWAYS. It may be sunny and 75 one minute then downpour the next so always carry an umbrella in your backpack.
3 If your student is interested in living off campus, I would not recommend it. Although there are perks such as the freedom of no RA or not having to share a room, they will absolutely suffer socially. It is much more difficult to make those great friend when you are not surrounded with others looking to branch out as well. Students living off campus are older and have already created those connections. Therefore living in apartment complexes will put them at an immediate disadvantage.
@cbl1 So are you coming in Wednesday night and moving in Thursday?
@hokie9061 thx for the insight
@ak2018 yes we are getting in Wednesday night moving my son in Thursday am.
On move in day(s), there are vendors selling the wooden desk hutches and bunk table etc. But first check in Cassel coliseum - there is a sale of donated dorm items from hutches to refrigerators. We moved in first and the vendors were mostly sold out of desk hutches by the time we went to check them out, and the Cassel sale also was already pretty picked over, but we did manage to get some very useful under-bed drawer storage . Also, the box fans I bought didn’t fit the windows in Lee hall, but there were a ton of them at the cassell sale so we bought two and did the one blows in, one draws out strategy. But bring a screwdriver because you are going to want to take the cover off and clean it and the blades, SO GROSS.
Also, as an aside - if one of the bunks is up against the window at fan height, either sleep with your feet that way, or make sure the blows-in-from-outside fan is blowing in your face. My daughter was sick pretty constantly throughout september, with respiratory symptoms, until I came on parents weekend and saw that the sucks-out fan was pulling god knows what past her face all night. When we took the fan out of the window, the screen behind it was almost completely clogged and furry.
Also, there is no Costco around but there is a Target and a Walmart in Cburg. To save car space, we ordered a fridge from Target online for store pickup.
Also, the best tips we got - those .99 reusable shopping bags from Marshall’s and TJMaxx are very useful s vs boxes and suitcases for move in/out. They take up very little space, mold easily to fit in the car, and you can carry two in each hand if they are light enough. You can get space bags and sit on them to squeeze the air out if you don’t have a vacuum. And most importantly- when moving in, unload your stuff against the wall outside your room, NOT in your room. Arrange the furniture, bunk the bed, one dresser can go into the closet, etc…then bring in one bag at a time and unload it. It is MUCH too overwhelming to be surrounded by stuff, and trying to make space and put things away at the same time. You will keep moving things from place to place.
Also, if you don’t want to fully bunk your bed, plan on half-bunking it with storage under in most rooms. A long form bedskirt helps hide all your water, food, shoes, luggage, etc.
Closest club stores are about 40min away in Roanoke (sams and bjs)