As much as I’d like to think I have it down perfectly by now, moving in to a college dorm is a tricky process whether you’re a senior or a sophomore. Freshmen, however, have enough on their plates at this time. From the end of orientation to the first day of class, freshmen across the country constantly go through a roller coaster of emotions for a number of reasons. Not knowing who your roommate is, trying to hold back tears from leaving family and friends for more than likely the first time, and simply trying to figure out where things are on a big campus are all problems freshmen run into.
Moving shouldn’t be one of those things.
Many people believe that moving in requires moving literally all their possessions into a space that nine times out of ten is half the size of their regular room at home. Packing always seems stressful at first, but, like many things, really is not all that bad if done correctly.
First things first, it is extremely unnecessary to bring EVERY single possession you own. This might seem obvious, but I have seen incoming freshmen take an ungodly number of trips with all their stuff, when everyone knows they won’t use half of it. The number one item that takes up the most room is clothes. I am guilty of this. I have tons and tons of t-shirts. Knowing that there’s so much free stuff (including said shirts) given out during the first weeks of the year, it might be smart to hold back on the clothes and other things that would take up room.
Secondly, if you know you are going to be returning for the next year and live a bit too far to move everything via car or plane, use a storage facility. Chances are very good that there is a trusted storage rental facility somewhere close to campus. If not, using the space in a friend’s apartment or house may also be helpful. Anything beats packing the car to capacity or checking eight bags on a plane, no?
Thirdly, there are some groups out there that specialize in making the moving process easy. One is called Ship2School and all it involves is a simple three-step process. First, you sign up and they send you a supply set with boxes, labels, etc. Then, you pack your stuff into said boxes, write up the labels and ship all your stuff down to college. When you move in, you check-in empty-handed. Why? Because your stuff is already waiting for you when you get down to your dorm. As a bonus, S2S is giving a special offer for those who upgrade. If you upgrade, they will have the boxes in your room when you arrive. It’s pretty awesome, not gonna lie.
There is also a pretty awesome promotion that S2S is putting on right now called Ride to School Like a Rock Star. Let me put it this way: there’s a limo, friends, college and awesomeness. It’s kind of a big deal.
As I start sophomore year at UT, I have dealt with many freshmen over our first week. I understand the process is a strenuous and stressful one. Why add any burdens by moving and packing incorrectly?
For more moving tips, stay tuned for our upcoming post “The Ultimate College Packing List!”
Robby Veronesi is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, studying Journalism and Electronic Media. He’s a member of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars and a regular contributor to their blog, TalkNerdy2Me. He has his own blog where he mainly writes about sports, but he also loves writing about places he’s traveled.