Moving Into College

Packing and moving into your college dorm room is an incredibly stressful time. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also stressful. You have to be prepared for a few things that will happen in the process of packing, moving and unpacking.

Packing is never fun. It’s not fun when you go on a trip and it’s definitely not fun when you’re packing up to move into your dorm room. It may not have hit you yet – you can’t take everything in your room to college with you. It may not fit and then you’ll be sending stuff that didn’t fit back home with your family if they helped you move. As you’re packing up stuff in your room to take with you, set aside the absolute necessities first. These are the items you absolutely cannot be without so you don’t want to have them get accidentally left behind because you haphazardly went through your room packing everything in sight. This is where it might be beneficial to make a list of what you need to bring with you. While you may think everything in your room is essential and the thought of leaving anything from home behind may sadden you, trust me – your dorm room will be a lot cleaner, a lot more organized, and you’ll be able to find things easier if you leave behind some of those things.

You’re going to be learning a lot as you pack and go through each year and semester. You’re going to be learning a lot about what you can and can’t bring to college. As you go through college, some of the items you thought you needed your first year, you ended up never using so you know not to bring it. It’s a learning process and you may find that you don’t have it down pat until halfway through college. You’ll be finding new ways of packing and unpacking to make things more efficient. Your first year, though? Your first year will be a little crazy and that’s okay. You’re going to be stressed, but try not to be upset. Try not to take frustrations out on those helping you. This is an incredibly exciting time – enjoy every moment, even the ones that may seem like a hassle such as moving.

Speaking of moving, don’t wait until the last minute to pack. In the couple weeks before you move, pack up things you aren’t using in your room at the moment and set them aside. If you wait until the last minute the day before or the day of moving, you’re going to be A LOT more stressed and these are the perfect conditions to forget things. Reserve the day before or day of moving for things that you were still using up until moving time.

Enjoy this time with your family and friends. Whether you’re going to be an hour away or across the country or world, take the time to spend time with family and friends. Even if it’s just sitting at the kitchen table or on the couch with your mom in the morning and drinking coffee. Make that time and live in the moment and enjoy it. Even if you’re an hour away, you’re going to go from seeing your family every day to a couple times a month or less.

You’re going to get homesick. Nothing can prepare you for it, no matter how much time you spend with your family. It will be extremely rough at first but it does get better. Just remember that you are beginning an amazing experience and you’re going to be learning a lot, and not just in your college classes. You’re going to be learning independence and you’re going to be a stronger person from this experience.