Alas, the big day has come. You're moving out and saying goodbye to your parents. They'll be sad to see you go, but the process of moving in might change their opinion. (Won't you feel dumb when you've made your poor parents lug your brand new fridge up to the 5th floor just to see your roommate's fridge up there, too?) Here are some helpful hints we've gathered from possibly the toughest part of college: moving in.
The first tip for a successful move-in is not bringing too much stuff. Check out our Packing List to see what you'll really need. And make sure that you have coordinated with your roommate(s) on big-ticket items.
If you're flying, you've planned on buying a lot of stuff in DC. Fast forward: you're off the plane, on campus. Time to shop! Head to Tenleytown: Best Buy & The Container Store are right there waiting for you. These two locations might be swamped considering their proximity to campus.
If you’re looking to expand your shopping area, Tyson's Corner Shopping Center (which is actually two giant shopping malls) in Tyson's Corner, VA is another popular move-in shopping spot, along with the shopping area north in Rockville. You'll either need a car to get there or an adventurous attitude and enough patience to use public transportation.
Don't know where to go to find something? Do some research; ask someone down the hall, especially an upperclassmen who’s been through this before. And don’t be embarrassed to ask someone where they got that cool lamp/rug/chair/etc.
Get your roommate's cell phone number. You will need it. Trust us. If nothing else, you can text your roommate to call you in order to save you from your parents.
We all feel like our parents are dorky and embarrassing, so don't try to be Joe Cool and pretend like they're not around. Be nice to your parents. Say please and thank you. Smile.
Be open to suggestions from your parents about how you might like to set up your room. You can always rearrange things when they're gone, so it’s not worth arguing for two hours over where your desk should go.
Take on a little responsibility, and don't make your parents buy everything with you. Shopping together is a great way to get to know your roommate (especially girls). Spend a day in Georgetown looking for fun room decorations.
Your parents might like to see DC while they're in town. Try to fit in an afternoon to enjoy the National Mall or Georgetown.
Make a good impression: arrange to have brunch with your roommate and his/her parents. Even if it’s nothing more than TDR, it will ease some of your parents’ tensions to know that your roommate is not some psychotic maniac.
Take it easy... you've got all year to get your room just the way you want it. You should accumulate things as you need them, don't stress out about buying everything the first weekend of school. AUTO vans usually schedule trips to Target and you can pick up anything you might've missed then.
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