Move-In Tips from Texas Tech Students

• When I was a first-year student, my parents stayed for an extra day or two and it made it harder to separate from them. I felt torn. Other students were getting to know each other and finding their "group", but my parents were still there and expected me to be with them.
•  Make a checklist of all the things you need to bring to school; go through this checklist once you arrive and go through it again when you pack up at the end of the academic year to make sure you have everything (it saves a lot of time and headache)
•  Only bring what you need (e.g. bring clothes for hot weather in august and during thanksgiving break, you can bring some of those clothes back home and bring thicker clothes for winter back to Lubbock); this saves a lot of space and makes move out at the end of the academic year much easier!
•  If you are driving to move-in during August, keep a look out for deals on essential and leisure items (e.g. minifridge) because a lot of the stores in Lubbock will increase the price on these in August during move-in season
•  Start consistently looking for sales, couponing apps, and student discount programs (e.g. apple, spotify, hulu); it can save a lot of money!"
• Do not bring too much (if you have a UHaul, then you are bringing too much)
• Schedule an early move in slot to leave time for the necessary Walmart runs because you will forget some things that you will need.
• Stock up on medicine as dorm life could make you feel bad because of the change in weather and altitude for most.
• Cherish every moment with your family while moving in as they will likely miss you the second they leave campus from moving you in.
• It isn't easy for me to make friends and I wasn't on good terms with my roommate. I always enjoyed talking to my family, and appreciated when they would call me. If this is the case for your family member, try to call them often. Words of affirmation go a long way.
• If you're flying in, like an international student or even across the country, just come with clothes and then then go to Walmart afterwards to get everything for the dorms.
• TTU conveniently provides big carts to load all your stuff into and it's really helpful. Also, keep in mind that it will probably be a mess regardless, lots of people are moving in at the same time and it's okay. Don't bring too much stuff, the dorm rooms are only so big. My parents had to take back a lot of my things because it did not fit in the dorm. Renting a mini fridge and microwave was also super helpful. Not having to worry about selling or moving that stuff during move out was nice. Bring a small Brita or other water filter, don't drink the tap. A humidifier is also great, especially if you're coming from a more humid area, like I did. The dryness of Lubbock can really mess with you. The last thing I would say I felt was a necessity, was surge protectors. There aren't too many outlets, so you need them.
• Ensure you have a timeslot and are on time. Many residence halls will only give (good/close) parking passes to those who are signed up and at the correct slot.
• Moving carts are limited if you can bring your own wagon/dolly it will be helpful but not necessary
•  Always collect your keys and find your room before unloading to avoid struggling with items in narrow halls. Your room key will be given to you loosely. Bring a lanyard and/or key ring to avoid losing keys as it will be costly to replace.
• Wear light/loose clothing and have a fan ready to cool down the room
• Room and furniture dimensions are online to ensure storage solutions and other items will fit in your room (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/housing/halls/furnishings.php?hall=CW)
• Bring basic cleaning supplies before you move items in to clean the overlooked spots.
• Don't stress! Move-in is only stressful if you let it be so. I was super stressed when I moved in because I knew my parents were. It's honestly such a fun time to hang out with your student and get them comfortable in their space.
• It will be quite cramped, especially if their roommate is moving in at the same time but it's no biggie. I would say if that is the case only two folks should be in the room at a time so it doesn't become uncomfortable and hot. It will also most likely be hot in the dorms. They aren't always that hot but it's hard to keep the building cool when the doors are constantly being opened so your student will be living in a place with good AC.
•  Try to move in at a different time or date than your roommate
•  If you have ordered bedding online, do not open it until you are unpacking, because usually it is vacuum sealed and takes up less space when traveling.