Tips & Reminders for Moving Back to School

As a college senior, come September I’ll have moved to school four times. Inevitably, there always seems to be a breakdown of sorts:  myself, my parents, the car, etc.  Although moving back is unavoidably stressful, planning ahead always helps.  Whether you’re a freshman, or a senior like myself, here are a few suggestions – or reminders – for making the transition a little easier.  I’ve refrained from suggesting the obvious (i.e. shower caddies and Tupperware), instead suggesting what you might not have thought of.

1. Try to start packing at least a week in advance.  Or at least, start contemplating packing.  For the true procrastinators, you could contemplate contemplating packing.
2. Less is more.  Remember that at the end of the year, you’re going to have to re-pack everything to take back home.  Keep in mind that for some inexplicable reason parents are much more helpful in August/September than they are in May.  (It could be because they are happier to see you go than to have you come home again.)  Picture the scene now:  your dad repeatedly honking the car horn outside your dorm while you scramble to pack all those things you never needed in the first place…
3. Start saving those 20% off Bed Bath & Beyond coupons – and then don’t forget to bring them with you to the store!
4. Keep in mind that forgetting your favorite t-shirt or your winter boots isn’t the end of the world.  Your parents can always mail such things or you can do some shopping once you arrive at school.
5. If you’re returning to school, make sure to put your student ID back in your wallet – for some reason it’s hard to get very far without that thing!
6.  Coordinate with your roommates on who is bringing what, so that you don’t bring duplicate items.  (Don’t follow my example:  Last year, my four suitemates and I had so many mini-refrigerators we couldn’t enter the kitchen.)
7. Remember to pack a small tool-kit: basic screws, nails, a hammer, and screwdriver should do the trick.
8. If you’re not allowed to nail posters and such on the walls, don’t fret – - you can still wish Michael Phelps or Maria Sharapova goodnight every evening!  Simply use a little creativity – lean a bulletin board against a dresser, or use heavy-duty tape to hang up posters.
9. Homemade cookies or brownies make a great icebreaker with new roommates.  I’m not saying to win over your roommates with baked goods, but… actually, I am!
10. Does your dorm room rival the size of Harry’s cupboard under the stairs for tininess? And rival Azkaban for sucking your soul? College isn’t about where you live, but who you live with.  Make an effort to get to know your roommate(s) and the people on your floor.

Katherine Freedman

Katherine Freedman is an English major at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she writes for The Columbia Spectator. Her internship experiences have included the Food Network, where she worked in the International Department doing social media for Food Network Asia, and The Houston Chronicle, where she had a regular teen advice column and wrote various other articles. She won the Houston Chronicle 2009 Student Journalist of the Year award. Katherine is currently working on a novel inspired by her experience studying abroad in Florence, Italy. You can find her food and travel blog at http://katherine-collegegourmet.blogspot.com/. Katherine sings way too much (in the shower, at home, at school...everywhere!) however, her family and friends are nice enough to put up with it.

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