Welcome to the world of college, new freshmen! I'm so excited for you to get into the swing of adult life. But before you swim in the pond, you have to get in. Through my personal experience, I hope you can keep these tips in mind for moving in!
1. Plastic totes are your new best friend. Easy to fill, easy to refill, and easy to store. If you have the clear ones, it's easier to see what's inside--if you have opaque bins, label them with masking tape. These can be used every single year for moving, and you can store miscellaneous content while youre living in your new dorm or apartment.
2. Organize appropriately. This is more for those of us who don't quite have a handle on being neat. Don't throw your new desk lamp in with your underwear, and don't put a random cord in with the dishes. Organize your stuff to the best of your ability to minimize chaos. What seems like a no-brainer can actually slip your mind when you're in the thick of preparation, so try to remind yourself not to toss everything you own in a pile.
3. Triple-check your packing list the night before. This is EXTREMELY important, because your life will be insanity for the next 24 hours once you wake up. If your school is relatively close to your college, it's not the end of the world. If you're going across the country.... Maybe check five times
4. Play a game of Car Tetris. This is a skill you'll use all your life. Whatever you want to be unloaded first, put it on top and take into consideration the weight of the various pieces. So basically, this is where you'll use the math you thought you'd never need.
5. Accept help. There are students that are around to try and help your day go as smoothly as possible, and if they want to help you, just let them. They also probably know the campus better, and they're generally very sweet.
6. Move your bed around according to the outlet setup. Your phone and computer may just become your lifeline, so make sure you can reach them. My room had the weirdest outlet placement, but I had one near my bed the I could charge my phone through, and scooted closer to it!
7. Start unpacking after everyone leaves. Once your entourage departs, it becomes an appropriate time to start setting up your new living space. This way, you can do it with your own vision of your space and avoid all the excess comments.
8. Fill your desk first. Once your school stuff is organized, the rest will follow easily. Depending on the time window between classes and moving, you can get the other stuff done. But when you're pressed for time, your highest priority is to get the academic pile figured out. After all, that's why you're there!
9. Set up your closet. This is the biggest pile to tackle, and it'll take anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours. This is where your peace of mind happens, along with the realization that you're on your own.
10. Save the boxes. The year will fly by faster than you think, and you'll be packing up to go on summer break.
College is one of the best times of your life, don't be afraid to let yourself experience freedom. Just remember that you're there to get your degree, and as long as that's your first priority, you'll have the time of your life!
