<p>So I'm looking at the agenda for move in day, and I see that parent send-off is the next day? So I'm wondering, is it common for parents to stay the whole day of move in and spend the night somewhere in Nashville? That just seems a little unnecessary in my opinion. My question is, would anyone care to share how move in day went for them and how long their parents stayed?</p>
<p>Many families will be trying to minimize what they actually bring with them, whether flying or driving, and some students will also want to wait to purchase items until they have a chance to see the room set up and meet the roommate IRL. Unless things have changed radically, an afternoon trip to Target will be in order. Freshmen like to do this with their parents since most will not have access to a vehicle after the parents leave and also since their parents are likely to pay for this shopping adventure. Target is essentially an extension of the Vanderbilt campus on move-in weekend.</p>
<p>When I was a freshmen I remember parents being there the whole day. They mostly helped with setting up the room, buying more materials, and meeting roommates as the previous person said. Also, many kids went out to dinner with their parents as a send-off meal and then that was it. After move-in day there were no more parents and you’re mostly just concerned with getting to know the people on your hall, maybe even helping them if they need it. </p>
<p>Really soak move-in day in along with the whole freshman orientation. I can honestly say those are when some of my best memories were formed. Plus Vandy really tries to make it nice with the Move-In Crew and other cool stuff thats going to be going on.</p>
<p>We made like an 8 hour drive up there so my parents decided to arrive 2 days early before move-in and look around Nashville/the campus. Stayed till the morning after move-in to say goodbye but didn’t actually attend the “send off.” Was nice for my parents to get to see more of Nashville and the campus than they saw when we toured.</p>
<p>If you’re a really short drive away, or if you flew, it may not make sense to stay the night. The parent send off isn’t anything special- basically a breakfast meal with a REALLY long line due to the flood of family members. At least that’s what it seemed to be last year. They may have improved it. If it’s a hassle, parents definitely should not be concerned about missing it.</p>
<p>As other posters said, be prepared for trips to the bookstore and to Target and where ever else on move in day for all the random things you forgot. There will also be a dinner on Commons that many parents go to. Move-in day can end up being pretty long and your parents may not want to start the trip home after leaving campus at like 7pm.</p>
<p>We went through this with our daughter last August–we arrived on Friday afternoon, looked around campus (especially to find classroom buildings) and visited the bookstore for tee shirts, etc. then moved her into the dorm with much assistance from the “Move Crew” on Saturday morning. As others have mentioned, dad & brother made trip to Target & Kroger for things we didn’t know she would need while I helped her rearrange the furniture, unpack, etc. There was a reception at the house of the Dean of the Commons, which was mostly waiting in line with other parents, a lecture from the dean of A&S with a chance to ask questions in the late afternoon that many parents attended and there was also a very nice dinner outside under tents (grouped by dorm) for the whole family on Saturday night (good chance to meet parents of roommate/hall mates). We came to campus on Sunday morning to say good bye but did not feel the line was worth it for the brunch at the Commons. After Sunday breakfast, the kids are fairly busy with orientation activities so the parents won’t be missed.</p>
<p>Same experience for as as for LHSCary. We arrived the day before move-in, moved in at the scheduled time on Saturday, went to Target in the afternoon for odds and ends, had dinner with our D on Saturday night, and left on Sunday morning. I think our D would have felt a little lonely if we hadn’t been there on Saturday night because she didn’t know anyone there. You don’t need to stay until Sunday if your student doesn’t want you there, but most parents seemed to be leaving on Sunday.</p>
<p>stay over, and enjoy the dinner under the tent. Parents were encouraged to be gone after the breakfast which was served outdoors in front of the Commons a few years back…and was mainly muffins and juice, fruit and coffee. </p>
<p>We were staying over to see other friends from grad school Vandy days of yore and so we knew to stand on West End by the main gate (we tried to blend in the sidelines and stayed sort of out of sight as parents were not really part of this) and to wait for the bagpipe entrance (you can hear them coming!) when the new class walks into campus formally with their dorm-mates, behind banners for each residential college, behind the Chancellor, and with the upperclassmen and band cheering you…that is those upperclassmen who are on campus early for their extra curricular commitments. (Most upperclassmen are not allowed in their dorm rooms till later in the week, however those there do make an effort to cheer for the new class at Vandy and to be very welcoming.) There is a nice address to the seated freshman class on the lawn from Zappos. We made our exit during that address as there really were only a few straggler parents on the scene. Parents: you can simply watch this on video…they will likely post it on the Commons website, and youtube has earlier August marches into the Main campus that are rather heartwarming to watch.<br>
Congrats to everyone who will be starting four years at Vandy!</p>