By Richana Johnson, Contributing Writer
With the excitement built due to the long hours spent consuming every college vlog you came across. I am sure many of you now have an ideal image of what your Move In Day will look like. While it is a day to look forward to, and most students will profess it’s one of the most memorable moments in their college experience, Move-In Day can also have it’s challenges. To help you prepare, I have put together a few tips that helped me during my Move-In experience on the ‘Highest of Seven Hills!”
1. Scheduling Your Move-In Appointment
Unlike the popular display played out in movies, not everyone will move into their residence halls simultaneously. Just imagine how much backup traffic there would be. It is imperative before making plans to find out when your designated Move-In Day is, which is assigned based on your residence hall. Once you have that figured, proceed with scheduling your check-in time. This can be accomplished via your iRattler portal. For more details check out this link.
2. Consider the Weather and Dress Accordingly
You may have attended an orientation or made a personal visit to the campus. But if you haven’t, it’s no secret that the temperatures in Tallahassee can change drastically. Checking out the weather forecast a couple of days in advance can’t hurt. According to Accu Weather, temperatures during this year’s Move-In range from the mid to high 90s. You should wear articles of clothing that will allow for air circulation and will not limit your movement as you may find yourself climbing up a flight of stairs because of the influx of students aiming to use the elevators on those days. Don’t forget to hydrate!
3. Be Concise with What Your Packing
While the residence halls are comfortable sizes at best, they will not hold many of your items from back home, especially if you are rooming with a roommate. Create a list of the essential dorm items that are needed. It so happens that every year The University of Housing provides an updated list with the available dorm essentials required. Looking over the list can also save you from buying unnecessary items prohibited in the residence halls.
“Big advice that I think first-year students should know is to leave the Christmas lights at home around the Christmas tree. They are a fire hazard,” said Kelsy Gilmore, a FAMU alumna who recalled when she hung up Christmas lights her first year in college to take them down two days later due to them being her Resident Assistant (RA) pointed out a fire hazard.
Parking may be limited, so be sure to bring your walking shoes, and a dolly or cart to tranfer your items from your vehicle to your room.
4. Expect the Unexpected
No matter how well you strategize with friends and family, sometimes plans just go haywire, and that should be expected.
“Things never really go to plan, honestly, and it was hotter and a lot more physical work than I thought,” said Lizze Mccolly.
I would say just chalk it up as being part of the college experience and make the best out of it as you can. Remember this is a moment that you will not be able to redo. Yes, you will have other colleges’ Move In Day experiences, but nothing compares to your first. The anticipation, the excitement mixed in with a bit of anxiousness that comes with starting a whole new chapter. With time former rattlers have agreed that Move-In Day gets much easier.
“Move-In Day definitely became easier because I didn’t have to buy so many residence hall room items since I had what I needed from the previous years,” said Shantell Davis.
Still, need a little more details about the Move-In process at FAMU? Check out this video created by the FAMU Office of University Housing.
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