It's almost here.

The smell of anxious parents and over-excited freshmen is in the air, and it's only going to get worse on the day that you move into your first dorm room. Unless you're moving in early, you will most likely have to suffer through battling the entire rest of the freshman class in order to move in to your room, which means sharing elevators (that will break), stairwells (that seem to go on forever), and luggage carts (that one family seems to hog for an entire hour). Add on the stresses of parents that don't want to let you go and orientation activities, and move-in day can prove to be one of the most trying days of your life.

So, how do you survive move-in day?

1. Accept the fact that your family is going to want to help you decorate.

Your mother, siblings and maybe even your father will want to help you unpack and set your room up perfectly. They'll want to put your bed and desk in a certain place, and they'll drive you crazy doing it. Just let them do it. You can rearrange later (because you'll undoubtedly rearrange everything multiple times during the semester), and letting your parents have this small modicum of control will make them feel a whole lot better.

2. Also accept the fact that your family is going to take pictures. Hundreds of them.

This is a proud moment for them, and for you. It's also a very sad moment for some parents — they're letting one of their children go off on their own, and it's a hard transition for everyone. They'll want pictures of everything, including your finished dorm room and your roommate, so let them take them. Smile a little bit, let them take their pictures and move on. Because in a year's time, you'll want to look back at those pictures.

3. The elevator(s) will either break or you'll stop at every floor.

This part is inevitable, really. Maybe it's the added strain of move-in day activities, or God telling you to take the stairs with that miniature refrigerator, but the elevator will stop working at some point during the day. You'll have to lug that refrigerator up the stairs, and you'll sweat like crazy doing it. So put on some tennis shoes, wear your comfortable clothes and get ready for some physical activity. And even if the elevator does work, you'll be stopping at every floor going up and going down, because everyone and their mother (literally) is trying to use it.

4. Don't close the door when you're unpacking.

It's a natural instinct, really, to close the door so your future hallmates won't be subject to your family's special brand of crazy, but don't. Keep it open, introduce yourself to students and adults alike when they pass by in the hall, even offer some help if you're done with most of your unpacking. There's never a time too early to start making friends!

5. Bring water and snacks.

Remember when I mentioned inevitable physical activity? I wasn't joking. Treat this like a sporting event or a marathon — get some good rest the night before, eat a good breakfast and keep drinking your water. It takes longer than you think to move in to a dorm room, and you'll be surprised how tired you'll get by doing it.

6. Know where the nearest Walmart is.

It's going to happen: you're going to forget something, or run out of something. Maybe you don't have enough Command strips, or maybe you ran out of storage boxes and need a few more. Knowing where your nearest Walmart (or other general store) is will be your saving grace on move-in day.

7. Accept that your room is not going to look like a magazine picture.

Maybe you bought all of the cute storage containers from Target, and a matching comforter. Maybe you worked so hard to make sure your curtains were the right color to contrast the rest of your room. But let's face it: your room will not look perfect at first. And the reality of it is, it doesn't have to look perfect. This room will become your home for the next semester or year, and after a few weeks of classes and activities, you won't care if your throw pillows are in the right place or if your curtains match your bedspread. So don't stress about it.

8. Compromise with your roommate.

Chances are, this might be the first time you've ever met your roommate. Maybe you have two different tastes, and maybe she or he wants the room in a certain way. But instead of growing annoyed and bickering about it, actually talk with them and compromise on a few things. Figure out if you want the room to be split down the middle, or if you're okay sharing the space and perhaps bunking beds. If you're sharing a television set, then put it somewhere you both can see it. Simple fixes can save you quite a lot of stress later on.

9. Report anything out of place to an RA or RD immediately.

Hey, we all want that safety deposit back, right? So make sure to inspect all furniture, windows, closets, floors, and walls before you start to unpack. If there is noticeable damage to anything, take pictures and write it down before contacting your RA or RD to tell them. You don't want to be saddled with the cost of damages you had no part in at the end of the year!

10. Introduce yourself to your RAs and Mentors on the hall.

These people will most likely be running around on move-in day, ready to answer your questions or help you move in. Introduce yourself, ask your questions, let them talk to your parents — who knows, they might become a friend! It's always a good idea to have a good relationship with the people on your hall, especially those that are supervising you.

11. Most importantly: have fun!

This day is about you! You're moving into your first college dorm, taking a new step in your life and branching out on your own. You're "adulting", as we like to put it. Have fun with it. Take pictures and videos, get to know your hallmates, and spend a few last hours with your family. It'll be worth it in the end.