Moving into the dorms may be the first time you've ever prepared to move out on your own before. You may be nervous about forgetting something important or managing your emotions. Don't worry. Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator Devin Williams has been there. Check out his tips for making moving day as simple as possible so you can focus on your transition to college. 

Tip #1: Check out our housing website

Before you start packing, make sure you visit our moving-day page and especially our lists of what to bring and what not to bring. If you have questions about how to get mail in the dorms (which can come in handy if you need to ship something), we’ve got a page for that too.

Tip #2: Contact your roommate and suitemates

If you’ve put off contacting your roommate and suitemates, now is the time. Reach out and start organizing a list of who is bringing what to the room (like, who is bringing the mini refrigerator?) and start learning a little about each other.

There are a lot of questions students ask themselves when they are preparing to move into the residence halls. Will my roommate and I get along? Will we have enough room for the two of us to split? These questions intensify even more if you have a roommate and suitemates that you don’t know beforehand.

One thing my time at the University of Nevada, Reno has showed me is that your social support network is key to your success. Your roommate may or may not become your best friend for life, but you'll be important parts of each other's first year in college. Now is the time to start forming those connections.

Tip #3: Bring your own carts and moving dollies

One of my earliest lessons in college was to familiarize myself with the phrase, “Work smarter, not harder.”

You don't want to get stuck lugging that heavy mini-fridge up seven flights of stairs (trust me, I know). There may be long lines for the University-provided carts and dollies, so bring your own to avoid waits and maximize the amount of stuff you can unload each trip. 

Tip #4: You’re not expected to organize your entire room in one hour

Drop off your items, organize later, and enjoy the NevadaFIT experience. Move-in day and welcome weekend are full of events you'll want to attend to make sure you're prepared for the semester and have a chance to meet people. You'll have plenty of time later to settle in and figure out exactly how you want to organize and decorate your room. 

Tip #5: Show up on time 

Moving day is already a stressful day, and nothing throws a wrench in your carefully thought out battle plan than feeling rushed the entire time. Make sure to get there during your designated time. If you can't get there during your time, there are specific alternate times available each day. 

Tip #6: There will be some waiting around. Be kind.

Similar to waiting in the free-food line in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union during Welcome Week, patience will be your best friend. Remember, your peers have just as many nerves as you do surrounding moving day.

And don't forget to be nice to your parents. They are also going through a wide range of emotions. 

Tip #7: Have fun!

This is the start of a great adventure. It is easy to become overwhelmed with the emotions of move-in day. There’s a lot going on and there’s always a lingering sense of anxiety. However, it is important to just take a minute to take everything in. In fact, this applies to your entire college career. In college, time moves differently, or at least it seems too. Make sure you take some time to appreciate the entirety of being a student at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Special thanks for Chris Carver from Residential Life & Food Services for help writing this article.