Move in Logistics

Colleges and Universities A-Z Barnard College
1

<p>I’m trying to figure out the best way to handle move in day. I considered shipping everything and flying from Detroit but I’m concerned about some of the things we’d be shipping. I considered shopping once there, but move in day time is very limited. It seems like our best option is to drive. I’m trying to keep the costs down so I just wanted to ask other Barnard (current or past) moms if it makes sense to drive on Saturday, stay about two hours outside of the city, get up early and drive into the city for the 8:00 am move in time. The literature says family farewells are at 3:30 pm so I would probably drive 5 or 6 hours that night back toward Detroit and finish the drive on Monday.</p>

<p>Does that sound logistically feasible to experienced parents?</p>

<p>Suggestions are appreciated!</p>

2

<p>We drove in last year as well. In our case we stayed in the city (impacted by the tropical storm) and ended up staying an extra day so our experience is atypical. But as far as move-in itself - it goes fast. The earlier your move-in time, the more likely it will be that you can actually move-in at the assigned time. We felt really sorry for the people with late times. You pull up, the NSOP staff meet you at the curb, and they assign you a chalked-in spot on the sidewalk. You unload your things into the spot and then go park your car. Your daughter will get in the sign-in line and when the NSOP staff call you, they will bring a giant rolling bin that they will help you fill and they will escort you and the rolling bin up the elevators (hopefully in one trip) in a matter of minutes. Seriously ( I think it took 10 minutes to get her stuff upstairs. Sparr and some of the others will wonder up and down the sidewalk and chat up the parents while you wait to be called. After dropping her stuff in the room we went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and picked up the stuff that we knew was easier to get in NYC than drive into the city with. When you see the mattresses you will want to get your daughter a really good mattress pad. You can also order and pick up items at the store. Columbia runs free shuttles back and forth so you don’t have to drive in NYC or manage things on the subway. They also give you a “day of” discount at the store which was nice. Then there are a few get togethers for the students and parents, a reception and then they really push you out at 3:30. There’s not much time for anything else. In short -your plan is workable but you will be really tired after move-in (emotionally and physically). We waited in NY an extra night in case there was an emergency. There wasn’t and we wished we had left the city that night. So you will probably be glad to get on the road that day. One nice thing is that we only plan to make the drive 2 times - when we dropped our dd off and when she graduates. They have a vendor with great storage options at reasonable prices that comes to campus on move-out day. Good Luck! Its such a blur that first day and everything happens very quickly.</p>

3

<p>We drove in last year as well. In our case we stayed in the city (impacted by the tropical storm) and ended up staying an extra day so our experience is atypical. But as far as move-in itself - it goes fast. The earlier your move-in time, the more likely it will be that you can actually move-in at the assigned time. We felt really sorry for the people with late times. You pull up, the NSOP staff meet you at the curb and assign you a chalked in spot on the sidewalk. You unload into the spot and then go park your car. Your daughter will get in the line and when they call you, they will bring a giant rolling bin that will get you up the elevators (hopefully in one trip) in a matter of minutes. Sparr and some of the others will wonder up and down the sidewalk and chat up the parents. After that we went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and picked up the stuff that we knew was easier to get in NYC than drive into the city with. When you see the mattresses you will want to get your daughter a really good mattress pad. You can also order and pick up items at the store. Columbia runs free shuttles back and forth so you don’t have to drive in NYC or manage things on the subway. They also give you a “day of” discount at the store which was nice. Then there are a few get togethers for the students and parents, a reception and then they really push you out at 3:30. There’s not much time for anything else. In shorty -your plan is workable but you will be really tired after move-in. We waited in NY an extra night in case there was an emergency. There wasn’t and we wished we had left the city that night. So you will probably be glad to get on the road that day. One nice thing is that we only plan to make the drive 2 times - when we dropped our dd off and when she graduates. They have a vendor with great storage options at reasonable prices that comes to campus on move-out day. Good Luck! Its such a blur that first day and everything happens very quickly.</p>

4

<p>Coming from the west part of the US, my daughter left the day before the move-in day, stayed overnight outside the NYC, and traveled to the college early in the morning on her move-in day. She traveled with a suitcase which included essentials for the first several days. We shipped the rest of her stuff via UPS. We also purchased a pair of fans and a mattress mat on Amazon and had it shipped directly to her.
Your plan sounds good. I think your daughter might want to be there as early as possible. My D couldn’t wait:)</p>

5

<p>Thank you! I think we’ll stick with that plan then. Thanks for the extra tips and the rundown of what the day will look like. It does seem like it will be a blur so I’m hoping to avoid the BB&B run on the shuttle and spend more time on the campus. Although she spent a week on campus last summer, I haven’t seen it myself except in pictures. She is already pretty excited! </p>

<p>I’m happy to hear about the vendor with storage options too. That sounds like a great option for future years.</p>

6

<p>Your plan sounds good. We were coming from California, so we had to fly. We divided each girl’s belongings into two groups: the truly personal and what could be got at BB&B. (Actually there was a third group: the unnecessary) If you stay at a distance, you will want to get up early. As Whiterockmom mentioned the earlier the better. As I recall they assign the move in times according to from where you come, but I may be wrong.</p>

7

<p>Aww, Mardad, I remember our first move-in day! Good grief—it was almost 7 years ago that our daughters moved in to Barnard for the first time!!</p>

<p>We drove up (from GA) and DH and I had a wonderful weekend with our D before moving her in. We saw a show, took the boat tour around Manhattan, at in Chinatown, etc. On move in day, we got there as early as we could (I don’t remember an assigned time…but, hey, it was 7 years ago!), unloaded and then we DID make a trip to Bed Bath and Beyond (the first of several over the years!!). </p>

<p>My advice would be to take some time if you can to actually enjoy the experience with your daughter. This is the beginning of an incredible 4 years…Best to you!!</p>

8

<p>Hey 2016BarnardMom.</p>

<p>I just wanted to repeat that the plan you have is totally doable. I’m going to be a junior at Barnard in the fall and I’m also from Michigan and that’s exactly what my family did. We stayed just 40 minutes outside the city in White Plains, and it was super easy. I had a ton of stuff, but we also did the Bed, Bath, and Beyond exchange program where you scan everything at one store and pick it up, packaged and ready to go, at another store. Rather than do this at the Bed, Bath, and Beyond in the city (since we wanted to avoid a parking nightmare) we picked stuff up at the BB&B in White Plains.</p>

<p>Move in was super simple and the Orientation Leaders (all upperclassmen) pretty much do most of the work for you. Even though we were worried since I was in the latest move-in group (I lived on the second floor) there didn’t turn out to be a problem at all! Move in is such tiring blur (and I was so scared about being away from home) but luckily we had zero issues with the logistics.</p>

<p>Good luck to your daughter! I hope she enjoys her first year.</p>

9

<p>Thanks all! I like the idea of going to the White Plains BB&B if necessary. My daughter isn’t scared at all about being away from home. Her dad is pretty worried about her being in NYC. He is still trying to talk her into going to Michigan instead. She told me that the last weekend she was at his house, he told her not to use the subway. She just rolled her eyes at him and told him she already has. She loves Barnard and knew it felt like “home” when she was there for the Young Women’s Leadership Institute last summer. </p>

<p>I am the one who finds NYC totally overwhelming! I chose not to go to Michigan myself because I thought the campus and Ann Arbor were overwhelming…lol. I’m hoping that by the end of her four years, I am more comfortable with NYC myself. I like Chicago, for a couple days max, but NYC is like Chicago on steroids!</p>

10

<p>Lots of Dads feel this way. My H tried to talk D into going to Smith. And we are local!
The subway is very safe except very late at night. We had an agreement: after midnight taxis. I agreed to reimburse D when that happened. </p>

<p>NYC is wonderful for college kids. For example: DD’s laptop stop working while she was working on a big paper. At was 11 at night. She took a taxi (bless her) to the Apple Store genius bar (24 hours a day maybe? I can’t quite recall.) They fiddled with it, and she taxied back and finished her paper. And felt very grown up.</p>

<p>She is completely self-sufficient in NYC, not so much when she comes home. She just handles urban life better. (She has lived in Atlanta and NYC since graduating, but is currently home for a local master’s program.)</p>

<p>It’s normal to worry, but the kids adapt fast, and the orientation process has them going all over the city and getting used to it.</p>

<p>D’s roommate had jumped her move-in time and already chosen her bed. We arrived and it was made-up. Luckily, D is flexible and said it was fine. And it was. I mention this only to say that lots of things like this will be going on and it’s best to stay loose.</p>

<p>The most challenging part was hoping that when we retrieved our minivan in the morning (we stayed in the city the night before) nothing would be missing. Yes, the van was in a
parking garage, but we had to have faith. Especially because somethings were packed in a carrier on the top.</p>

<p>One endearing thing was how much help each parent gave each other. Dads of girls helping single moms of others (don’t mean to be sexist here, often dads are better at the hoisting and putting things together.) It is a really fond memory.</p>

<p>Very different than moving my son into Williams – no fuss, very calm. Had to haul things up four flights (no elevator.) I thought, "This is move in day? Where is the frenzy? And I missed Barnard.</p>

<p>One thing we did was go out to dinner with another Barnard family. D had met their daughter – I can’t remember if it was on facebook or somewhere else, and the girls made plans to meet-up, which was the only way my D could have contained her excitement.</p>

<p>We didn’t wait for the official time to leave because D had to go over and get her picture taken for the ID, and she already had a date with a guy she had “met” on facebook just starting Columbia.</p>

<p>Haha, I should mention that story when people ask if you can date at Barnard.</p>

11

<p>Mythmom reminds me: DO be careful where you park! One year, as we were moving D into Plimpton Hall, which is on Amsterdam, we borrowed our son’s in-law’s van so we could move her stuff up there from Atlanta. Plimpton is apartment-style, so we had lots of stuff. We unloaded the van and DH parked it so we could spend the day moving in…and later, he went to retrieve it so we could run up to Bed, Bath and Beyond. Wellll, he’d parked it in a not-so-much-parking spot and it had been towed. He spent the rest of the evening retrieving it from the impound way downtown. The spot really was poorly marked.</p>

<p>Some friends later told us it’s kind of a rite of passage to get towed in NYC. It’s one I’d sooner avoid, however, so be really, really careful where you park.</p>

<p>:) Makes for a fun story later, though.</p>

12

<p>Churchmusicmom: My sympathies. Basically lived here all my life and have never been towed. H was ticketed, but he definitely deserved it. He had wheels up on a curb area – can’t remember why.</p>

13

<p>Hehe. Thanks, Mythmom. Believe me, the phone call that DH had to make to our son’s in-laws to ask for the van’s registration number (so we could get it out of impound) was kinda priceless. Fortunately, we are all really close and have a great relationship!</p>

14

<p>Well, your experience makes me quite happy that I stayed home in California & let my daughter figure out the move in logistics on her own. :slight_smile: No worry about parking, no vehicles to be towed …</p>

15

<p>We have pretty much avoided taking automobiles into NYC. OTOH there are safe covered parking areas (for pay) in the city.</p>

<p>Re: safety. I too was concerned about my daughter in NYC. My worry was not the subway but the transition from subway to bus or subway to taxi in certain ares of town. Getting on the subway at 116th and Broadway is about the safest place for a young woman. Morningside Heights is patrolled by NYPD, Columbia security and Barnard Security. In addition when you get on the subway there will be ten to twenty Columbia boys riding with you. My paranoia was that something might happen if she had to get off of the subway in a deserted area. Fortunately, New York is the city that never sleeps. She felt secure the whole time she was there except when she and a friend took a sick classmate to the ER at 4:00 AM. “Daddy, there are some really strange people on the street at 4:00 AM.”
Barnard Babbysitting states that the customers have to pay the sitters cab fare if they are going back to Barnard after 9:00PM. I would generalize this cab rule to all activities unless your daughter is traveling in a group of four or larger.</p>

<p>The most frequently used subway lines are convenient to most of the places they want to go except the East Side. There are bus lines running East-West across the Island.</p>

16

<p>I am so glad to hear all of this information too. We have been trying to make our arrival plans as well and are planning to do the same as you, 2016BarnardMom- to drive up stay outside of the city and come in early on the 26th. </p>

<p>This forum has been really helpful over the past few months. Thanks to all who post. It’s such an exciting time.</p>

17

<p>My daughter is a rising senior at Barnard and we are from California. I flew out with her freshman year; thereafter she has handled move-in day herself. We were lucky enough to be able to stay at a friend’s apartment a mile from campus and got a cab to get us there at our appointed time. There are LOTS of friendly Columbia and Barnard students waiting at the entrance there to help you get your stuff to the dorm room and I know I would have freaked out about trying to park (even drive in NYC, have never done it and have now been there a dozen times in the last few years). I did the BBB shuttle thing which was really kind of fun/ny with all the parents getting on the bus, getting off the bus, stowing their purchases in the bus after, etc–it worked fine and I didn’t feel that I missed anything. Be prepared to keep your chin up with somewhat dilapidated rooms and odd hard-to-configure furniture. It all works out in the end and the girls (your child and her new roommate(s)) are SO good at figuring things out the way they want things as soon as the parents leave! This year my daughter is super-excited about having a single and a nice suite of kids and I am tempted to go back in August for the final move-in, sigh…I may be naive, but I haven’t ever felt unsafe in NYC nor have I worried about my daughter–who is now so sophisticated and street-smart… Use this opportunity to go to NY, learn to ride the subway, see plays and museums and wonderful walks through Central Park and learning about all the amazing neighborhoods and pocket gardens and great meals and…it’s such a fabulous city and such a great place to be young and a student!</p>

18

<p>For those who do want to drive into the city there is a great, convenient parking garage at Riverside Church, just a few steps north of Barnard.</p>

<p>I find driving in the city quite simple because everyone drives so slowly because there are lights at every intersection. Even once drove to a blind date in China Town. Date was a dud, but I felt very accomplished and chic.</p>

<p>There is absolutely no reason to if it’s not your thing, but it’s not scary and very hard to get lost since the city north of lower Manhattan is mostly a numbered grid.</p>

19

<p>Well, I’m glad we decided to just buy everything here and drive because her move in time is 11-12. I’m pretty sad about that because I was hoping to attend some of the talks that afternoon but there just won’t be a chance to do that at all. There will definitely not be time to shuttle to Bed, Bath & Beyond with (possibly) only 3 1/2 hours to get her things settled. 8 or 9- 3:30 sounded reasonable. Noon - 3:30 sounds crazy! I guess we can stay a lot further from the city than we were thinking though and won’t have to get up as early.</p>

<p>I was really hoping to at least walk around the campuses of Barnard and Columbia to see what they were like.</p>

20

<p>I reviewed the schedule. It does seem a little cramped. We never got to do the reception as we were in the early move in group. Of course the late move in group misses the talks. You might go early and park in the garage that Mythmom suggested. Then you could meet the President and tour the grounds a little while the other parents are pinned down with moving. If you are moving during the talks you may have the elevators to yourselves.</p>