<p>I plan to attend Cal Poly as a freshmen for Fall 2013, but I’ll be moving in from New Mexico. For those of you who are already familiar with the timeline and getting everything set for the school year, I was wondering when exactly would be a good time for me to consider making the move?
I have options for mandatory orientation in July or the first half of August. But that’s about a month apart at the least from when the Residence Halls will be open, though I do have friends I can stay with for awhile. How long in advance should I already be around to get my books and such? I’m pretty unfamiliar with the whole process, but I want to start making plans ahead of time. I really appreciate any feedback!</p>
<p>Most freshmen need to settle in a week before school starts, but considering you’re coming from out of state you’ll need about a month. You’ll need to first get a driver’s license or state ID. Remember the DMV is notoriously crowded in California. There may be some things you can do online or over the phone so I would suggest calling them or checking out their website before you go. You might also want to explore the surrounding area a bit. LA is quite a large area and there are things to do in Claremont, Pasadena and Fullerton as well, but you’ll have plenty of time for that.</p>
<p>GET THE EARLY ORIENTATION</p>
<p>This is when you register for your classes! You don’t have to move out here in July, but I would highly suggest flying out for a couple of days to register for classes and get a feel for the area. </p>
<p>Also, order your books online. Amazon Student Prime is free for six months. 2 day shipping!</p>
<p>Oh yeah, and congrts on getting in 
What’s your major?</p>
<p>Thanks to both of you for the help!</p>
<p>@mrsleonore I actually called the Housing Office on Friday and asked about the move in dates. I was surprised when I was told that the move in date was June 16th. Though I do kind of wonder if this is really the case. If so, then moving in a month ahead of time would be possible after all! I also keep getting mixed responses when I ask about residency and getting a California ID. It’s all very confusing lol.</p>
<p>@skwerlpoo Alright! I’ll try and shoot for the earliest date I can get. I was worried about getting books online because there’s always students who end up in a panic because their books didn’t come in on time, but two day shipping sounds great! And thanks, my major is Animal Health Science. :)</p>