Being in high school and going to college often involves relocation, as many students get into out-of-state universities. Such a situation is as joyous as it is stressful. It may cause stress because of the process of moving. Packing up your stuff is a huge task for a first-time mover since you don’t know what you need when you’re away from home. The risk of over-packing runs high among young students as they don’t know when they’ll come home again. Apart from this, they’re also worried about making all their stuff fit within a small car’s trunk or a few movers’ and packers’ cartons. Then comes the anxiety of leaving home for the first time and surviving in a different city. With all these things to worry about, we want to alleviate some of your stress by providing you with 7 helpful moving tips for students.
Table of Contents
Create a checklist
The easiest way to make sure you pack everything you need and don’t miss anything before you leave is to create a checklist. This can be a detailed list on your notes app, a last-minute list you put together on a piece of paper, or a thorough record of all the things you own. Whatever it is, make sure to start with necessities like toiletries, clothing, medications, etc., and then move on to others.
Take inventory of all your items and then go over all your things to make sure you didn’t leave anything behind.
Moving can be very stressful and time-consuming. For a busy student, it can be quite an undertaking that will take some of the precious time they usually spend studying. If you feel like your academics can be in jeopardy because of your upcoming move, you can always reach out to a professional company and get an essay writer for you. Online services like this one help thousands of students to write expertly-crafted papers for school and college. This way, you will be able to pack without any added stress.
Use labeled boxes
It is impossible to carry everything in a suitcase or two when you’re moving out to a dorm or hostel room. This is why it’s cheaper and more effective to use stackable, foldable, and reusable cardboard boxes. They come in various sizes, and you can purchase the ones you need. Label your boxes with the items that are in them, like “books” or “clothes,” or the room from which they were packed.
You can use some tape to keep your cardboard boxes together, especially if they carry heavy items like books, coats, utensils, and others. Write legibly and clearly with a marker to easily identify the boxes’ contents.
Donate things you don’t need
Giving back to society while saving space, money, and time sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it? An important lesson for many young people to learn when they’re moving out is the value of downsizing. Most dorms or student-living facilities are tiny and can not store the same amount of things as your childhood home. Throw away things you don’t need anymore, or better, donate them to someone in need. Many charities always accept things like toys, books, clothes, etc.
Helping other people out is always a great idea. As a student, you can ask for help, too – there’s nothing wrong with that. You can surf the Internet and discover that many trustworthy academic writing companies are ready to lend you a hand. With their assistance, you can easily be confident in your essays and get excellent grades.
Learn about your new space in advance
Understanding the kind of space you will be moving to is essential to moving out. You can take a virtual or real tour of your new dorm room or even just look at pictures of it in advance. All you need is to get an idea of the space you’ll have. This would be extremely helpful, especially if you’re about to move into a space 2-3 people have to share.
Look for the square footage of the dorm room. The space must be at least 225-250 square feet for a room shared by two people. Look for additional storage options such as inbuilt shelving, under-the-bed storage, and more so that you have an idea of the number of things you can take with you. You can also reach out to people on the internet who have lived in your dorm, as they are very helpful. You can also plan ahead, order additional storage cabinets or shelves, and install them before moving in.
Pack a portable bag with necessities
Putting all your belongings in a single huge carton or suitcase and opening it in the dorm room sounds like a great idea until you get to it. Even if you are moving out, there are some things you will need during your trip and your first few days in your new living space. You may not find the time to unpack all your stuff as soon as you move in, so it is wise to pack all your necessities in a small, portable bag like a backpack or a small suitcase.
Things you can keep in such a suitcase are:
- Toothbrush.
- Skincare items.
- Contact lenses.
- Medicines.
- Makeup.
- Snacks.
- A change of clothes, and more.
Your future self will thank you for thinking of this.
Move-in early
Arriving at college way before it starts and even before orientation is important as you will get to set up and settle down before things start moving fast. Be smart and arrive early in order to snag the best rooms with great features such as a better location, some extra space, a balcony, etc.
Ask for help
This is an unsaid tip for students who prepare for moving to college – get as much help and assistance as you can from your loved ones. Call your friends over and get them to help you pack. The more people there are, the quicker you’ll complete your work. Packing and moving are also much more fun with friends and family. You can also ask a parent or an older sibling to drive you out to your dorm and make a road trip out of it!
Conclusion
While it may seem stressful and scary, moving out is actually very exciting. The butterflies in your stomach are because you’re thrilled to have gotten into the college of your dreams and are finally getting to make it on your own. Do not let the logistics of moving ruin this special time for you. Spend more time with your loved ones and make some memories before you move out. Best of luck!
Author’s Bio – Ruby Butz
Ruby Butz is a blogger who covers student-related topics. Her father was in the military, so she moved around as a young student. Her personal experiences have given her deep insight into the area, and she hopes to use her knowledge to help many young students moving out for college.
