Ready to move into the dorms?!
Colleges set aside a few days for people to move into the dorms. These days can be quite hectic, especially at large universities, where thousands of students are moving into the dorms on the same day. If you’re moving in on one of these days, expects waits and traffic.
That being said, there are a number of tried-and-true ways to make dorm move-in day easier on you and your family.
How to Handle Dorm Move-In Day
- Avoid it entirely – If you can somehow move in early, before the scheduled days, do this. This is often allowed for students who decide to participate in a pre-classes orientation.
- Wake up at 5:00 am – Try to arrive right when the dorm’s doors open (probably around 7:00-8:00 am) to avoid the largest crowds (which probably arrive between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm).
- Wake up at 5:00 pm – Moving in in the evening, or towards the tail end of the session, will probably involve less people.
- Sign in and check out your room first – Before taking anything into the dorm, check in with staff, and check out your room. This will be the first time you really see its size, and you might determine to leave some things in the car.
- Document problems – Inspect the dorm room. If there is an issue with it, inform staff. If the issue is severe, don’t move your stuff in.
- Double check with roommate – If your roommate is there, meet him/her, and double check that they don’t already have anything you’re about to move in (like a vacuum).
- Unload – Once you’ve done all those things, it’s time to move in. Check out our articles about how to move safely to address specific issues, like moving in the rain or how to lift properly.
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