Amid the chaos that comes with uprooting your life before transitioning to college, it can be easy to gloss over the detail of moving into your new room.
More goes on during move-in day than just carrying boxes and mini-fridges, so here’s a few strategies to make moving-in run smoothly — the “Move-In Master Plan”.
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- Be sure to take advantage of the move-in crew WSU offers.
Getting Started
Before you start unloading, pull up to your respective residence hall and go to the front desk. There you’ll meet your Resident Assistant (RA) who will give you your room key, Warrior ID, and an informational packet.
From there, you can walk to your room and check out your new place. Your roommate may have already arrived, in which case, you should introduce yourself—they might be willing to lend a hand when carrying boxes.
Pro Tips for Unloading
If at all possible, try to move in during the least popular times (busiest times are usually around 9am and 1pm). This is especially important to consider if you live on one of the higher floors because elevators can have long wait times.
Try to get a cart as soon as possible. Different kinds of carts are available for move-in, but sometimes they get snatched up quickly. Knowing that, please be respectful of other residents and only take one cart to move your stuff—or offer it up to another student when you’re done using it.
Time to Unpack
Now that you’re in your room, figure out how you want the big furniture arranged. Loft your beds if you so choose and play with the room layout. You’ll find it’s much easier to move the bigger furniture around when your stuff isn’t already unpacked. Use this as an opportunity to bond with your roommate and set some ground rules like who’s space is where.
Finally, unpack everything all at once. Take breaks when needed, of course, but no one wants to live among mountains of boxes for any period of time. Your room will feel much more like home if you’re surrounded by familiar things.
Other Notes
Stay hydrated! Moving things in and out can be exhausting, so keep lots of water handy. Your residence halls have water fountains available for use, and most have air-conditioned lounge spaces if you need time to cool off.
Sometimes you’ll find that you forgot to pack something, or maybe you need an extra fan. In that case, you can run to the local Wal-Mart or Target and pick up anything else you may need before the semester starts.
Last, but not least, be sure to thank anyone who may have helped you move in. Many hands make for light work, and it’s good to appreciate the family and friends who assisted in seeing you off on your new college adventure. A goodbye hug can never hurt either.
You’re officially moved-in! All the heavy-lifting is done, and you can look forward to having fun during Welcome Week.
