!!!Move-In Weekend!!!

So I've officially been moved in my suite for two nights, almost three now. I have three wonderful suite mates. My sister is one of them, then we have Kate and Caroline. I've been enjoying the on campus restaurants such as Chick Fil A, Panda Express and Mcalister's. Monday starts a new chapter in my life one filled with lots of studying, healthy food, exercise and WAYYYYYYY too much walking.  So as this new chapter is starting I figured I'd go ahead and give some advice for future college students on move in day. I've been to an art school and a community college neither of which had on campus housing but I am now at a university and have found out the hard way how to pack for school.

Now of course you first have to buy things for your dorm before you can move in. I made a list and went at it however focused too much on the little things and not enough on the big. You can find pre made list at Target, Bed Bath and beyond or you can just do what I did and Google till you find one you like. I personally compiled like six to make my own. (I'll post it later)

Now when the day comes to start buying stuff there is one crucial mistake you do not need to make. I know because I did. I showed up to my dorm with no TV, no refrigerator, no book bag, no fan,no towels, and no desk lamp. Sure maybe you don't need a TV but when you're neighbor decides to get frisky on the first night it's nice to have something to block out the nasty. I didn't think a refrigerator was that important since I have a meal plan, I was wrong. I only get 8 meals a week in the caff and $750 in declining balance goes by pretty fast (Or so I've been told) So get a fridge and stock it with breakfast and dinner stuff. Trust me you're not going to want to make that long trek to the dining hall that early in the morning or when it rains so having stuff on hand is smart. Okay so you'd think book bags would be pretty DUH right...well I didn't even think about it until I needed to find something to take to the bookstore to get my books. Now if you're like my sister and are cold natured you may not need a fan, but even my anemic sister who wears hoodies all summer wishes she'd bought a fan. I wish I'd bought ten. No Towels? nuff said. Now if you're in my situation and have a suite a desk lamp may not be that necessary leaving the big light on won't effect anyone else's sleep but if you have a roommate or globefish I'd suggest buying one. I have three wonderful little globefish but they like their light schedule and get cranky if I leave my big light on too late. So a desk lamp is something I'll have to invest in.

So as far as moving in goes I had it pretty easy. I pulled up unloaded my HHR moved it out of the loading zone and was given a Walmart buggy to move my stuff in with. Not all colleges will have buggies and if they do not all dorms have elevators (like I said I had it pretty easy) Believe it or not bringing your stuff into your room is the easy part, setting your room up not so much. I've been in my room for three days and still keep rearranging and reorganizing. So here are some things to remember:
1. Regardless of the floor plan the school has on the site your room will be smaller than you think so don't pack everything you own or you'll be super cramped.
2. Don't leave home without a box of trash bags.
3. Have an idea of where you want stuff. Especially if the rents are coming with you because if they're anything like mine they'll ask you every ten seconds where you want this, or how do you want that, or how are you gonna do this. Love my mom but that was stressful.
4. Try to label your boxes as thoroughly as possible.
5. A follow up to four. Try to pack your boxes and put them in your room in the order you'll unpack them.
6. Move in the biggest stuff first. I brought in a box full of bath stuff started unpacking it and realized the drawers that were meant for it were still outside with Dad.
7. Or skip 6 all together and go ahead and pack stuff where you plan on having it anyways. I packed a set of plastic purple drawers with clothes and planned it to go in the closet. It was the easiest thing I unpacked all day.
8. Make sure you have all and any paperwork or forms or cards that you do or might need with you. One girl forgot her school id and couldn't eat, or get in her building. Stood in line for two hours waiting for  a new card.

Moving/Packing Tips:
-Read EVERY email and real the WHOLE email. Your school will send you instructions for move in. What you can't bring, what you can, how to get there etc. Make sure you read them all. My sister just scanned them and missed a lot of info. our school had a specific time and traffic pattern for us to follow but had I not read them all we'd have been screwed.
-Don't just throw your clothes in bags like I did. Next year I will be buy those GIANT ziplock bags to pack my clothes in. I'll be washing and folding my clothes before I pack them. That way when I get here all I have to do is pull them out and put them away.
-Bring some bottled water you'll get hotter than you expect to and it's nice to have around.
-Get a gallon sized ziplock bag for all the little stuff on your desk and just separate it into it's home once your desk area is set up.
-Buy an ID wristlet with a key ring and a 3M Command hook. Hang the hook by your door (like right by, mine is on the door frame, my door won't pull to unless i grab them). Put your student ID and ALL your keys (mail, bike, car, room, suite) on the key ring. Then any time you leave your room grab it. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! One of my suite mates already locked herself out of her room once.
-Bring tools! (mallet, wrench, pliers (big and small), screwdrivers, hammers, etc.) You'll need them more than you think.
-Go ahead and buy blue putty and command strips of every kind. This was the biggest thing I regretted.  I couldn't hang art, dry erase boards, calendar, or anything till I had them. I really needed more than one pack of blue putty. It's more useful than it seems.
-Grab a little notebook at the store. (like the kind steve on blues clues had) Just a small one to take to class the first day for notes or anything you need to remember.
-Make a list and check off stuff as you pack so you don't end up with three staplers and two hole punches like me.
-Check out your room and set up before purchasing things like shower caddies or curtains. Our room has tile so I'll need a rug but some dorms have carpet already. Our shower is big enough for us to put stacking crates so we all have one no need for a caddie to take up space in our rooms.
-SURGE PROTECTOR, SURGE PROTECTOR, SURGE PROTECTOR. We had a lightening storm our first night here and a girl on our hall lost her laptop. Make sure you get one.
-Bring some snacks and foods with you. Especially if you have a loan or financial aid. You're extra money won't be given to you until after classes start and you'll need food till you have money to go get more.
-Make a checklist of stuff you need to do before school starts ex.) Get mail key, get books, register car, register bike, have IT look at my laptop, meet RA, Learn the campus, find classes.
-I said this already but it's muy important. FIND YOUR CLASSES. Before class starts take a walk and time how long it takes to get to your classes from your dorm and find them. You don't want to be late on your first day.
-Meet your instructors or student aids. At bigger schools you'll probably have student aids depending on class size and the size of your school but it's important to meet these people they could save your life, your grades, and your financial aid (eligibility).

So for now that's all. I'll probably add more as the week goes on. I'll try and post my packing list by Tuesday. Let me know if there is anything specific you'd like to see a post on.
Good Luck this year!!!