The Joy of Moving Back to School (Not)

Don't get me wrong, moving back to college always had a tinge of excitement to it. You never knew what the year would bring & what shenanigans you & your friends would get into that year. But the whole packing, putting together the puzzle that is packing a car full of your belongings, and then unpacking everything.....not fun. Since my brother & sister are moving back to school this Saturday, I thought I would share some moments from my moving adventures & maybe give a few tips to college students that are still moving back and forth between home & school!

 

• Really think over what you need. If you don't use it/wear it too often at home, you probably don't need to bring it to school with you.

• There are always school breaks where you come home. If you find you need something that you didn't bring with you, you can always get it later. But don't keep bringing stuff back because that will just make packing at the end of the year a disaster!

• Storage is your friend. The more storage things you have, the more places to put things. Storage ottomans are a definite must-have! They can store your movies or some snacks & can double as a place for friends to sit when they visit.

• Pack similar things together. Don't just throw a bunch of stuff in a box and call it good. Unpacking will be a nightmare. 

• Work on one section of your room at a time. For example, put away all your clothes before unpacking desk stuff. 

• One of the first things you should do when moving in is make the bed. It will make it feel more like home.

• If your dorm building doesn't have a parking lot or an accessible place to park your car, drive up to the building and unload everything, then park your car. This will save time from having to go back to your car to keep getting stuff. 

• If your bed can be raised up a few notches, do it! I made the mistake of not doing this upon move in & I couldn't fit more storage under my bed for a few weeks until I did this. 

• Before bringing everything up to your room, go unlock and prop open the door and open the windows. Another lesson learned from your truly. My freshman year, we started bringing everything up to the room and I went to unlock it and it would not budge. It turns out the door had swelled with the humidity and we had to have the locksmith on campus come get the door open for us. Meanwhile, all of our belongings were cramming the hall.

• In the spring, gradually bring home things you no longer need: winter clothes, things you aren't using. This will make packing at the end of the year easier. You won't have your parents there to help you then & it will be up to you (which always makes it harder!). 

• Don't forget to spend some time with your family on move-in day. Go out to lunch with them or take a walk around campus. Especially if it's your freshman year. You'll regret it when they leave if you just rush them to the car to go home and get started with your "new life". 

• Enjoy the day! I remember freshman move-in like it was yesterday. You're seeing everything for the first time, everyone you meet is new and they have no idea who you are. Possibilities are endless. Make the most of it and treasure your day.