Packing Up and Moving Out After Final Exams

Most college students are expected to moving out of residence halls, campus apartments and Greek houses immediately or shortly after their last final exams. Since it would be almost impossible for RAs or other student housing staff to check residents out of rooms all on one day, most universities encourage students to move throughout finals week. But, students don’t have to wait until finals week to start cleaning and packing. In fact, accomplishing small “moving out” tasks before finals week is ideal because it leaves students with one less task to worry about during exam week.

Students will find it easier to move, clean, and also study for exams if they take some time now to clean and pack before final exams. Suggest that your child pack off-season or other non-essential clothing and bedding now. This is also a great time to de-clutter and create an environment that is more conducive to study. Here are some tips to share with your student about packing up and moving out.

Essential items: Packing tape, boxes (try to find boxes headed toward the recycling bin), large heavy-duty or “contractor” trash bags, paper or material in which to wrap fragile items.

• Almost all colleges and universities have stacks of cardboard boxes that are broken down and waiting to be recycled. Students can usually ask food service employees or managers to point them toward where these boxes are stored so they can use them for moving.
• Large trash bags are great for packing and moving coats, bedding, and other bulky items that will not fit into boxes.
• Consider packing and stacking items that will not be needed during finals week. Most students will only need; a week’s-worth of clothing, books, class notes, computers and other exam essentials, and enough food/snacks for finals week.
• Wrapping fragile items in bedding or clothing instead of paper will save paper and hassle during packing and unpacking.
• Try to pack like items together. Some items, like alarm clocks or summer clothing, will need to be unpacked and used at home while others, like kitchen items used only at college, can stay packed in their box until the next academic year. Try to keep these items together.
• Try to move or ship items home before finals week begins. Less clutter means fewer distractions while studying. If your child attends college close to home, consider making a campus visit to move items the weekend before exams. If he’s far from home, he may consider packing and shipping boxes instead.

Tips for Packing and Move-in Day

·      Even if your family car is a three-door hatchback, you probably know someone who has a van, SUV, truck, or a larger car than you do – borrow it. Or, invest in a roof carrier or plan to ship items to your child later.

·      Most campuses will let you know what kind of help, if any, to expect for moving heavy items on move-in day. If you do not anticipate having help moving heavy items, bring a moving dolly or folding cart.

·      For in-state or other short moves, it is often cheaper to rent a Uhaul van, complete with a moving dolly, than it is to rent a van or truck from a rental car chain. Shop around before you rent.

·      If it can’t fit into a minivan, it probably won’t fit into a shared residence hall room so pack wisely and know that any forgotten items can be shipped or purchased later.

·      Most students are moving away from TV’s and cable and are opting to watch programs online on their laptops or tablets, or are taking these computers into the hall lounge and plugging them into the large TV there using a USB cable or wireless connection.

·      A coax cable is probably unnecessary unless your child expects to spend a great deal of time watching regular antenna or cable TV. College students are so busy, or at least should be, with classes and activities, than regular TVs are becoming obsolete on campus. 

·      While there’s a growing trend for students to submit all papers and projects electronically, some professors still require printed papers. Before you invest in a printer or bring one from home, find out the college’s policy on printing papers. Some colleges charge by the page for printing in computer labs, others charge a flat fee to students, and allow them unlimited printing in computer labs or at print stations. Either way, it may be cheaper and much less of a hassle, for your child to use these services than to maintain a printer and buy or refill ink cartridges.

·      With cloud computing, most students don’t even have to carry USB drives anymore, they simply log into their networked drive from any computer on campus and print the papers they’ve saved to the drive. Ah, technology!

The Top 10 Things for Parents to Pack For Move-in Day

1. Patience – When asked about their least favorite things to do, most people would probably include moving on a list along with filing taxes and oral surgery. Let’s face it, moving is hard and at most college campuses this rite of passage takes place in the sweltering heat of summer. Plan ahead to allow plenty of time to move and complete anything else you and your child need to take care of on campus. It’s also a good idea to confirm the hours of various offices you may need to visit on campus during move-in day.

2. A sense of humor – Nothing diffuses tense situations like a good sense of humor. When you consider that this is just one day, although an important one, in your entire life it will be easier to see the humor in a stuck elevator or the bottom falling out of a fully packed box. In the years to come, you will most likely remember these mishaps with a smile.

3. A calm and open mind – Roommates with purple hair and piercings can still be great roommates. Don’t jump to conclusions about roommates or anyone else for that matter. If the paint is peeling in your child’s dorm room, make sure he notices it and records it on the room check-in form, hang a poster over it and appreciate the fact that the room is safe and conveniently located. He can probably arrange to repaint the room later.

4. Water and snacks – This should be similar to a picnic lunch, enough for everyone to have a decent meal if needed. Even if the food services are open on campus, lines may be long. If you end up not needing the food, you can always enjoy it as a snack on the way home.

5. Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications - Don’t skip any regular medications and bring your prescriptions with you. Moving may take longer than you expect and you might be ready for your next dose before you realize it. Also bring; Band-Aids, over-the-counter medications for various ailments such as headache, motion sickness, stomach upset etcetera.

6. Books or ebook readers, phones, and plenty of chargers- If you end up having to wait an hour to unload or need to kill some time in between moving in and another program it helps to be able escape into a good book, a game, or your favorite music. Use breaks as a time to relax.

7. Comfortable clothing and shoes, and maybe a change of clothes- A change of clothes might not be necessary, but it can’t hurt either. You will sweat and may get dirty while moving.

8. Cash, change, checkbook and debit/credit cards- There’s always a miscellaneous fee that pops up or maybe your younger child wants a college t-shirt. You don’t have to say yes, but be prepared in case you want to.

9. Pertinent paperwork from the college - Including campus maps or at least the emails your child received about move-in day and events.

10. An extra set of car keys - I can’t tell you how many times people have locked both sets of keys in the car. Like I said, move-in day is crazy, but it’s okay, you packed your sense of humor!

It's Move-in Day for Your Freshman!

Ah, move-in day, the big day for you and your college student.  Up to this point, having a “kid at college” has been an almost surreal theme, but now it’s real, and it is crazy! I like to equate college move-in day with the day, about eighteen years ago, when the contractions were two minutes apart. Up to that point, you knew that you were “having a baby”, but at that point your were actually having a baby, and there was no turning back! And, at this point in your life too, your child’s college move-in day, there’s no turning back either. You’re driving him to that college and at least one of you is staying there!

If you have expectations about an ideal move-in experience with hugs, tearful goodbyes, and the perfectly decorated dorm room a’ la’ Pinterest. I am sorry to say that I have some disappointing news. While there may be some families who experience this Hallmark card move-in experience, I have been working on college campuses for 22 years, and the day usually doesn’t play out that way.

Considering that move- in day will involve you, your child, and maybe other family members, you have probably been on enough family road trips to know that tensions can flare. Add the joy of packing and moving to the excitement, sadness, and anxiety of letting go of your child and you’ll have a good idea of what to expect. Bring the tissues!

Suggestions for move-in day

Most colleges do a good job of letting you know what to expect on move-in day as far as the length of time it will take to move-in, when and where to arrive, and whether or not students will have help from volunteers or will have access to moving carts etcetera.

Remember that you are there to help, not move everything and set it up, so take cues from your child.  If he obviously wants to be left alone after about an hour of moving, take some time to let him breathe. An easy way to do this is to say; “I think I’m going to find a cold drink, do you want anything?”  Your child will probably say “No, I’m fine.” And shoot you that “you can go now” look. And you’ll reply, “Ok, well text me if you change your mind.” Give him a little time to adjust, maybe an hour or so and then call or text before you drop back by his room. In general, students really do want their families there to see their room and help move a few boxes, but for the most part, they want to do it themselves, as they should. Take some time to give him the space he needs while you explore campus and take a break for yourself.

Most colleges have an event, either in each residence hall or campus-wide, to signify the end of move-in day. This may be a cookout in the evening, a reception, or a hall or floor meeting. Whatever it is, unless parents are specifically invited, or it is obvious that other parents are attending this event, it’s time for you to say a quick goodbye and take yourself and/or the rest of your family out for a meal. When the hostess at the restaurant asks how many are in your party it will be painful for you to say that you are “one less” than you were in the morning, but you’ll also be excited for your child’s new adventure.

*Before you turn in for the night, a text, email or social media post to your child will remind him that you are thinking of him. Something like, “Hope you’re all settled in, have a good night.” is enough. If he replies, great, but don’t expect an immediate reply.