Moving into a college dormitory ranks somewhere between a cruel joke and the Normandy invasion. From piling everything into the family van to squeezing it all into a tiny dorm room, the whole experience can test even the most patient.
Plan Your Attack
Before you pack a single item, get in touch with your roommate(s). Not only does this help break the ice, it's invaluable in planning what to pack. Determine who will bring any major appliances. Dorm room space is extremely limited and not planning ahead can result in too many of some things and too little of others. After hauling all your junk to the school, the last thing your parents want is to haul half of it back. After getting the big things out of the way, concentrate on clothes, music, books, etc. Look at the room layout, which is often found in your admissions packet or on the college's housing office website. Make sure you're being realistic about the available space.
Saddle Up
You have it all together. Now you have to get it in the car. Good luck... You may have to take more than one vehicle or rent something to help. One thing is critical: call the school. Find out what times you can move in. If you are using a rental vehicle, find out what, if any, restrictions there are for trucks and trailers on campus. This is often an issue in urban campuses, where you may find yourself moving in from a heavily trafficked city street. Some helpful resources:
Enduring Chaos
On moving-in day, release all illusions you may have about maintaining control of the situation. Don't blow up at Mom and Dad. More than likely, they're going through the same aggravation... except they're paying thousands of dollars for the privilege. Moving in is usually utter chaos. Freshman dorms are normally large, meaning that you are going to face many of your fellow students trying to move in at the same time. Colleges generally set specific time frames for moving students in. Unfortunately, they always appear to give everyone the same time. Be prepared to:
- Have trouble parking. You will not have the best place to unload. If it's an urban campus, you will probably have no place to unload.
- Wait. And wait. You will find yourself locked in a cold war with other students waiting for the one or two available freight elevators.
- Lose your cool. Something won't fit. Something won't work. Something will break. Just expect it and you won't be surprised.
Let the Negotiations Begin
Once you've finally managed to get everything into the room, leave it until your roommate(s) arrive. Don't unpack. Don't start putting up the Pamela Anderson or N'Sync posters. And most importantly, don't rush headlong to put your stuff in the best part of the room. Remember, you and your roommates have to live together for at least the next year. You'll need to negotiate who gets what closet, what looks best where, etc. Yelling "Dibs!" will just cause problems for the whole group later.
The Long Good-Bye
Now what? It's not easy, but you and your parents are going to have say goodbye. Here are some suggestions:
- Expect them to say something like "our little baby has grown up." It's tough for them. Just deal with it.
- Offer to take them around campus, go to the grocery store, etc . Give them things that they can do to help out before they leave.
- Don't be a jerk. Saying, "Bye. We're going to a welcome party" or "Got any cash?" is not appropriate. Most likely, they sacrificed a lot to get you to this point.
- Call them later that evening to let them know you're O.K.
- Oh, and by the way, tell 'em you love them.
