Six Things You Can Do to Prepare For Move-In

Written by Lauren Smyth

I decided to wear dress shoes my first day at college. In my defense, they were undeniably cute shoes—brown leather low heels that looked fantastic with the outfit I’d chosen. This was a bad idea. It wasn’t the only bad idea I had that day, so if you want to have a smoother move-in than I did, read these six tips to make the process easier.

Don’t buy consumables (except a day’s worth of snacks). You won’t know how much to buy—or, more specifically, how much you can store—until you see how much space is left in the room after placing more permanent items. Will there be a drawer left over for snacks? Can you fit an extra pack of spa masks under the sink? If there are items you know you’ll need and can’t get at college, bring those, but leave things like laundry detergent, dish soap, and oatmeal for a post-move-in grocery run.

There’s one exception: Don’t forget to bring enough snacks to prevent you from getting hangry at 2:00 p.m. on move-in day. The cafeteria will be open for students, but you may not want to stop unpacking for long enough to enjoy a sit-down lunch. If you have a few protein bars and water bottles handy, you can keep working until your room looks just how you’d like it.

Wash all clothes and linens in advance. You don’t want to be fighting for a spot in the laundry room on the very first day. Plus, you’ll likely be attending events on campus throughout the afternoon. This means you’ll return to the dorm to find your sheets in a soggy puddle in the washing machine because no one took them out while you were gone. Streamline the process by washing everything in advance.

And, on that note—make sure to pack a comfortable outfit for move-in day. Don’t wear heels, like I did. Don’t dress to impress. Pick something that won’t get tight, itchy, or painful during a lengthy campus tour in 80-degree heat, and pair that with your most comfortable tennis shoes.

Don’t forget to plan something for your walls. Nothing feels less like home than completely bare walls. A simple poster, a family photo, or even a wall tapestry can make your space feel like it’s truly your own. And it’s important to be comfortable, especially on your first night, because you’ll need good sleep to make it through the next few days of transition and activity.

If you want to earn extra design points, you can color-coordinate with your roommate in advance. Or, if you want your halves of the room to be visually separate, develop your own color scheme and let your roommate create theirs.

Plan for the day to be interrupted. Moving in isn’t the only thing you’ll need to do as an incoming student. You’ll also need to attend campus safety briefings, take a tour to learn where all the buildings and offices are located, and much more. Chances are, you’ll have a few uninterrupted hours to move in before these events start, but you won’t want to miss them once they kick off.

Moving in should take no more than a few hours. Don’t plan to bring too many small items that will take forever to arrange on your shelf, or if you do, put those at the bottom of your suitcase so you can unpack all the necessities first.

Make sure you have EVERYTHING you need to get a comfortable night’s sleep after move-in. You’ll be busy. You’ll be exhausted. But you’ll also be in a totally new environment, surrounded by people you don’t quite know yet, so no matter how tired you are, you’ll probably have a hard time falling asleep. Do everything you can to help the process along.

If you thought college was going to magically convert you into a stoic who can sleep without a favorite teddy bear, you’re going to be disappointed. Bring that teddy bear. Bring the nightlight (if your roommate approves), the special pillow that’s dented in just the right spot, and the childhood blanket with threads hanging off the corners. Whatever helps you sleep should be right at the top of your suitcase

Stay caught up on emails and notifications from campus. This is how you learn things like how tall your bed risers are allowed to be, how to find and meet your resident assistants (RAs), and how not to get a parking ticket on your first day. It’s also a great way to contact anyone you know on campus, or anyone you want to know, like your roommate or your roommate’s best friend’s cousin’s sister who’s graduating this year.

You’ll get a briefing on the college’s IT system after you arrive, but you should already be decently familiar with the basics. If you haven’t been checking your email, start now. Be sure to download the Outlook app onto your phone so you’ll get a notification whenever you receive an important message.

You can’t prepare for all the new experiences you’ll have in college, but you can be ready for this one. And, unless you want to spend a long day in post-summer heat, you definitely should be!

Psst—if you’re wondering what else you can do to get ready for your first day of class, we have a guide for that, too.

Lauren Smyth, ’25, is an economics major and journalism minor. Outside of starting arguments in philosophy class, she enjoys curling up on a bench outdoors (sun, rain, or snow) to write novels or articles for her blog, www.laurensmythbooks.com.

Published in July 2023