Students offer moving-in tips
More than 2,000 students will move onto the Oswego campus on Friday, Aug. 24, quickly transitioning to their new home. If this is you, congratulations! We asked a few members of the Red Carpet Crew, students who greet newcomers and help them move in, for advice to making the #OzMoveIn moving-in process and first day on campus – and the days after – better!
Allif Karim gives 10 tips:
1. Sort it out: Figuring out what you need and what you want to take to college, and then deciding on what is best to take to SUNY Oswego. Consider that cold weather hits roughly 4 months into the semester (note: if you live downstate, this can feel brutally different than what you’re used to). If you find things you have no use for, find their value and try to sell them or donate them.
2. Spacing: Understand that your dorm room isn’t going to have all the space in the world and that some things have to be sacrificed. Fun tip would be to check your residence hall and figure out the dimension of the room and how much space you would have on your side. After that, plan all of your belongings, clothes and essentials that way.
3. Designer-craze: Don’t go crazy on decorations. Yes, your dorm room is your home for roughly an entire year, but don’t try and personalize the room too much, or when it comes time to move out, things may get a little tricky. Also, keeping so many decorations will just be a distraction at some point during the semester.
4. Time-management: Understand that during move-in day, even though your parents want to stay as long as possible; no one wants to move in with all their belongings and take up all the time in the world. Come to college with a game plan and organize everything in your car accordingly, so taking things out will be easy and make it a little easier for Red Carpet Crew.
5. Organization: Fun tip would be to pack your belongings and store them according to categories, which makes unpacking in your room so much easier for you and the family. Make use of storage bags and boxes instead of packing it all into travel bags.
6. Be courteous: Everyone else is in the same boat as you, everyone is stressed and there are going to be parents running around and maybe even younger siblings. Not to mention the frantic craze when you think you have forgotten something. And let’s not forget the Red Carpet Crew, students who have decided to come in early just to help you move in. Let someone on Red Carpet Crew know that you have arrived so you can get on the list for people that are looking to move in, and let those who are carrying your stuff know where you want the stuff and help them out if things get a bit too heavy for them.
7. Avoid shopping: You may have forgotten something in the car and Walmart and other stories may be close by; however, avoid making a Walmart trip midway to moving in, as it really messes with timing and affects those helping as well.
8. Rush hour: Moving in around the afternoon is convenient for those nearby; however it is also extremely hard considering just how many people are going to be there and you may have to stand outside for a good amount of time before someone is available in helping you move in.
9. Checklist: Make sure that you have all your important documents, folders, belongings and essentials packed and make use of the checklist given right before moving in, so that you can inspect anything wrong with your room.
10. Tissues: And finally, bring those tissues with you. It’s an emotional time, you are leaving your family and you may not be happy about it. Your family will surely be recreating their own versions of the Niagara Falls waterfall. Be sure to let them know how you feel, make meaningful promises and try to keep in contact. (They are still probably in charge of your phone bills).
Caitlin Galvin adds:
11. Make a list! It’s super important to be organized when moving in and it definitely reduces the stress. There isn’t much room in your dorm so try to consolidate.
12. Try talking to your roommate about what they’re bringing. If you can share a fridge with your roommate that would save a lot of space.
13. An item I especially recommend is buying a Brita pitcher. I drink a LOT of water and I do not care for water fountain water. This is a huge money saver and saves space. It stinks lugging a pack of water bottles from the local grocery stores.
Michael Drummond adds:
14. It is natural to be nervous, scared, anxious and a lot of other emotions that are taking over your brain before you move into college.
Alyssa Levenberg, the now-graduated video blogger behind our Alyssa Explains It All series also made a quick guide to moving in.
NEXT: OK, you've moved in and now what do you do? Fortunately, students offered tips on settling in too!