Moving In Day

Colleges and Universities A-Z Penn State
1

<p>I know this is kind of early, but.....</p>

<p>Does anyone have any idea regarding the logistics of Moving In Day? We are coming from NY and I actually have no idea what to expect, other than the inevitable traffic and probably confusion. Is it wise to book a room the day before, if it's not too late, or does the day run pretty smoothly? Do we just drop our daughter, unpack and leave or are there any organized activities for the families of freshmen? Just starting to wonder.........</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You are right – it’s definitely lots of congestion and chaos. The exact level of chaos depends on which dorm your student will be in.
It may be helpful to get a room the night before, but I suspect you may need to make a reservation very early. </p>

<p>They do have activities for the freshmen that day – and also each dorm usually has floor/house meetings – so generally they seem to want to discourage parents from sticking around too long. I think they really want to encourage the students to start meeting their dorm-mates right away. Also, since parking near the dorms is in short supply, they usually want the parents to unload quickly and then move their vehicle. (Some people bring a tarp, quickly unload their cars and put all their stuff on the tarp on the lawn, and then have the student/others haul the stuff to the room while the parent moves the car.) There will also be carts available to help you transport the stuff, and there are student helpers who can assist you with carrying stuff. </p>

<p>A few tips: make sure your student has pre-registered their computer online in advance. That will spare you from having to wait at a Rescom desk to do it (and they’re very crowded on move-in day). </p>

<p>Also, make sure to bring lots of extension cords, Ethernet cables, TV cables, etc. Otherwise, you’ll find yourselves with a bunch of electronics that you can’t connect.</p>

<p>Other than that, you should be fine. Personally, I’ve found move-out day to be much more stressful/chaotic.</p>

3

<p>Wow, thanks momwriter :slight_smile: How would I have ever known about getting her computer registered? Do they eventually send out some sort of information package with that kind of “crucial” information? I am certain there are soooo many more things that I don’t know or would never even think of! At the risk of sounding clueless, you mean register her own personal laptop, which she will be bringing, correct? How do I do that and when is the earliest that I can do it? I think I am going to try and book a room - chaos and campus traffic is the last thing we’re going to want to deal with after a 5 hour drive!</p>

<p>Can you think of any other helpful ways to avoid waiting in long lines - I have a feeling August 20th is going to be a looooooong day :)</p>

4

<p>Okay - here is my general question…since most dorms (and I am assuming my son will be in one of the honors dorms) are not suites…what all is needed?

  • clothes and personal items
  • computer, school type stuff
  • towels, bed linens
  • trumpet (for my son)
  • stereo</p>

<p>What else is necessary? I am asking in all seriousness!!! We will be shipping most of DS’s stuff up to his grandmother and then picking it up before we head up to PSU for move-in day (for band camp). </p>

<p>Do they need some basic kitchen stuff - cups, plates, utensils?
Do they need to bring curtains? Rugs? Stuff to hang on the wall?</p>

<p>HELP!!! :)</p>

5

<p>yes, in order to have a working internet connection, she needs to register her computer in advance. She can do that here: </p>

<p>[Residential</a> Computing](<a href=“http://www.rescom.psu.edu/]Residential”>http://www.rescom.psu.edu/)</p>

<p>She can’t do it until she has her room assignment, because she’ll need to enter her room number. (Room assignments are generally posted 2-3 weeks before the semester starts.) </p>

<p>Also, the bookstores are packed that weekend, so if you can order her books online beforehand, that will save you from battling those crowds. </p>

<p>Another tip: once she gets her roommate assignment, it’s very helpful if she and her roomie chat before move in day. There may be things that only one of them needs to bring (such as a TV). Also, we found it’s very helpful if the roommates stagger their arrival, so one can get all their stuff in - and say goodbye to their parents - before the other one arrives with their stuff.</p>

6

<p>oh, this is so perfect momwriter - PSU should pay you for this stuff :slight_smile:
Thank you so much - I will definitely follow your suggestions :slight_smile:
My daughter does have her roommate already, in fact they already met in NYC a couple of weeks ago with about 20 other freshmen from the area. I thought that was amazing.</p>

7

<p>Don’t worry, these are not dumb questions at all. And this type of stuff varies widely from one school to another, so it’s smart not to assume anything. </p>

<p>Here’s what is provided in the room: </p>

<p>A bed (for each student)
A microwave/fridge combo
Curtains
A desk for each student and a dresser (the size of the dresser varies widely – most are very small, and in some dorms, there is one big dresser that both roomies must share) </p>

<p>That’s pretty much it. Most of the dorms don’t have air conditioning, and you aren’t allowed to install an air conditioner in the window unless you have a medical condition, so be sure to bring lots of fans, especially if you’re arriving in summer. </p>

<p>The dorm rooms are pretty small (especially in East), so you want to really plan what you’re bringing with space limitations in mind. Some students bring bed risers, so they’ll have more room under the bed to stash stuff. </p>

<p>You do need to bring your own sheets, towels, etc. but I wouldn’t go crazy with that type of stuff – there are laundry facilities in the dorms, so the student can wash them easily. In other words, they don’t need 100 towels :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Oh, while we’re on the subject of laundry – don’t bother stocking up on quarters for the machines. They don’t accept cash. In order to do laundry, the student must use their LionCash card. </p>

<p>Students will need their own plates, utensils, etc. for anything they plan to eat in their dorm rooms. (Most kids quickly realize that it’s easier to limit their in-room eating to snacks and the like, as it can be a hassle to try and wash plates, bowls, etc. in the dorm.) </p>

<p>They are not allowed to have space heaters, hot plates or anything with a heating element or flame. </p>

<p>Regarding computers, it’s best to only bring one, since you won’t have a lot of room. Most students go with a laptop. You can only have one thing online via your in-room internet connection at a time. </p>

<p>Another tip: for basic items like towels, school supplies, etc. it’s often easier to just order them online and have them delivered right to the dorm, rather than lugging them with you to campus. If the items arrive a few days early, the mail desk will hold them until the student picks them up.</p>

8

<p>And, while PSU is out in the middle of nowhere, there are BB&B, Target, Walmart (two) and Sam’s in State College. Both years my S lived in the dorm we arrived first thing in the morning, slid right into a parking slot and were unpacked in no time. While it’s very busy, I was surprised at how organized things were. The street in front of his dorm, (Burrowes, McKee) was one-way during move-in and the second lane was turned into angle-in parking spaces. We were given a permit for a limited time and moved the car to a more remote spot after we unloaded.</p>

<p>I would recommend a box fan whenever you arrive. In addition to moving air around they are also good for noise-dampening if the dorm is noisy. The one thing my son requested that was sold out all over town was a door stop. (It is easier to meet your neighbors if you leave your door open when you first arrive.)</p>

9

<p>@Grcxx3, My son did buy a rug at Lowe’s for his dorm room and there are usually folks selling them out the back of trucks around town at move-in time. The rooms have window treatments, though I can’t remember what type. Neither of my children have stereos anymore; they play their music through the computers. My PSU son couldn’t get by without both his laptop and desktop; he has made it work without too much trouble. There are lots of places to buy posters in town, though it might be nice to bring some favorites from home.</p>