So I am going to be a freshman this fall. I’ve been a bit worried about how move in day is going to go, and wanted to hear if you guys had any advice or experiences to share. I guess to marrow it down, I’m a little bit unsure of how much stuff I should bring, how much is too much, and what kind of stuff is okay to just get later? My folks are insisting that they help me move in and get settled, but I would kind of prefer to do it all on my own.
Don’t worry about too much. Worry about having too little. The more you have, the less you have to go out and buy. When I moved into a residence hall, I brought about half of my room and was genuinely pleased with how much I brought at the end of the semester. I had to buy very little supplies throughout the semester and it was quite nice that I’d saved money on things that way. And plus, it’s yours. Stuff you’ve grown to love! Who doesn’t like that?!
There’s no shame in having your parents help you, unless they’re coming from hundreds or even thousands of miles away–even then, it’s because they care about you.
The vast majority of students will have their parents (and sometimes siblings) with them to help move in. Trust me, you’re going to be glad they’re there to help you carry everything up to your room and to help out with a bunch of other little things–waiting by the car if you’re parked in a loading zone, finding out if you guys can rent a cart or something to help you move in, unpacking some of the boxes while you’re chatting with your roommates, etc. And the faster you get everything moved in, the sooner you can go do other things.
As for packing, there are tons and tons of lists for what to bring. Just bring what you think you’ll need. Go through your day and make a list of all the things you use. You’ll be fine any way. If you forget things, then you’ll just buy them as there (another great reasons to have your parents help you move in! They can help you make a Target run to grab any supplies you need). If you have things you never end up using, you’ll just know to leave them home next time (and you never know, a friend or roommate might need it even if you never do–I never used my first aid kit or toolkit or packing tape, but I sure had friends that did). Ask your parents for suggestions–they’re really going to be a great resource in the packing and unpacking processes. You may feel like you want to distance yourself from them because you want this to be your own thing or you want to start feeling more independent, but really, you’re going to be grateful for all of their help when you look back at it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and suggestions from them.
Let your parents have this moment. It’s special to them since they will miss you.
- Bring a fold up hand truck, e.g. like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-150-lb-Capacity-Folding-Hand-Truck-33366/204268164
Your school may have rolling bins to use, they may have helpers, or they may all be in use.
- Your parents want to help you set up your room because this is the last thing they can do for you before they leave and also they are only half convinced you will really do it yourself.
- Bring less clothes than you think..you can get the heavy winter stuff at Thanksgiving break.
- Bring at least one set of toiletries
- Don't get a futon or furniturey type things until later.
- If your parents help you unpack, you may find things you need...like hangers or more storage options. We always end up getting something at Target/Walmart.
- Also ask yourself what you don't want them to help. It is considered a normal part of the college process. They will get to meet your roommate. Soon enough they will leave. If you don't think they will do it the way you want them to, then tell them specific parts...like please hang my clothes with all pants together, all shirts together.
- If there is anything private you don't want them to touch, then just put that under your bed and say you are going to deal with that later.
- But a parent wants to think they have set you up...so minimally your bed is set up and your clothes are put away. For the rest of it tell them you are going to figure out where to put it.
A piece of advice that I have about bringing stuff is to not overstock on any liquidy things (like soap or toothpaste) because you can always buy a fresh bottle of whatever you need at the campus store or in your school’s town.
If you are bringing a lot of clothes make sure to bring extra storage for that. I think shower caddies are also helpful if you have communal bathrooms. And your parents being there is a plus! That way if you need anything they’ll drive you to the store and probably pay for the crap you need whereas if they leave you’ll probably end up paying for it yourself.
If you are driving to school, leave clothes on hangers if possible. It is much easier to move your clothes in that way. As far as your parents helping, most students will have their parents there too, and you will appreciate the help unloading everything. When it came to unpacking and organizing once in the room, we found it better to let our kids do that. That way they could start getting to know their roommates and also be able to find everything later. Most parents seemed to do the same- help unload from the car and move things into the room and then make themselves scarce. A lot of times there are organized activities for freshman to help them socialize with everyone, and parents can get in the way at that point.