Preview of New Student Move-In (and some tips for all families)
As we get ready for the start of school, I wanted to share some logistical information with new families (P’25s and transfers) about what to expect for new student move-in days, August 18-19. We have some tips for all families too, don’t worry!
Your student will report to the Lawrence Joel Memorial Veterans Coliseum (LJVM, aka The Joel) at their move-in appointment day/time (August 18-19). Parking at the Joel is plentiful and students and families are asked to park in the Pepsi Parking Lot; parking at/on the curb – even temporarily – is not allowed.
Your new Deac will go in and follow the signs to check in so they can get their room key and DeaconOne Card (student ID). There will be a parent/family entrance for families to come indoors and wait while your Deacs get their key and Deacon OneCard (you will not follow your student during their check in, just to keep the lines from being too long). As a reminder, all visitors (which means any family members) must be masked indoors, regardless of your vaccination status.
After your new Deac checks in, you will reconnect with them just inside the concourse. There will be stations from many other offices that you and your student can visit and pick up information that would be useful to them. While in the Joel, your Deac will also pick up their mailbox key, parking pass, and other information. Representatives from offices across the University, including Student Financial Services, Campus Life, Information Systems, and Transportation & Parking will be available to tell students about the services they offer and answer questions.
Once your Deac has checked in, your Deac will write their cell phone # on the parking pass and place it on the rearview mirror, then drive to campus. Traffic and police officers will be posted to help direct you to your Deac’s residence hall. Please be patient, as there will be traffic and some wait times likely. When you drive up curbside to your student’s residence hall, you’ll be guided as to where to park (either by a traffic/police officer or Wake staff with a gold or black nametag).
Your student should go unlock their room, and you should begin unloading their belongings curbside. Staff will have a whiteboard that they will post your student’s room number on so their belongings are easily identifiable (pro tip: put a sticker with your student’s name, residence hall name, and room number on each box/piece of luggage). Note that someone must stay with your vehicle at all times. And any parent/family member going indoors to your student’s residence hall must wear a mask, regardless of your vaccination status.
When all belongings are unloaded, volunteers will help carry your Deac’s things to their room (note: move-in assistance is on August 18-19 only and ends at 2 pm; after that, the family will move in belongings. Should your Deac need to adjust their move-in appointment, they can do so in the housing portal at go.wfu.edu/housingportal, pending available time slots).
So what if your ‘25/transfer Deac is moving in early (if they are doing a Pre-Orientation, are a student athlete, or are an older student doing student-advising, etc.)? Residence Life and Housing will have sent them their move-in day information. Early arriving Deacs check in at Angelou Hall (on campus) until August 18, not at the Joel, and there is no move-in assistance in the same way as there is on the 18th-19th (since people are coming in on different days and times). Please be sure your Deac follows the instructions sent to them by the Office of Residence Life and Housing.
What about sophomores-seniors coming the 20th through 22nd? Same as above – they will check in at the Joel and then come to campus and move themselves in.
Don’t forget that we will have the Family Welcome Center in Benson from 1-7 pm on the 18th-19th, and from 1-5 pm on the 20th. This is a casual option for families to stop by, meet representatives from the Office of Family Engagement and other staff (me included!), get a cool drink and light refreshments, and more.
At the risk of this being overlong, let me share a few personal suggestions that I hope will help make Move-In a more enjoyable process for all. This is by no means a comprehensive list – use only the parts that make sense for your family.
Be patient – with so many new students moving in on the 18th and 19th, there could be times where you have to wait in line. Know that you have all day to accomplish things, so don’t fret about a wait.
Stay hydrated – if it is warm and sunny outside and you are helping move in all your student’s possessions, you might get overheated. There are drink stations/water fountains in the residence halls. Please stay hydrated. Ask for help from any staff member if you feel unwell.
Be diplomatic – you will most likely be meeting your student’s roommate and family sometime during Move-In. The students will have to navigate who gets which bed, who puts their things where, etc. It’s best to let the students decide these things. Parents and family members, this is time to take a neutral stance and let the students make the decisions.
Be open minded – your student’s roommate might look/think/dress/act/vote differently than your student. And that’s OK. There is no law that says roommates have to love the same music, movies, hobbies, etc. They just need to be able to live peaceably in the same room. That tends to work best when families fade into the background and let the two students get to know each other.
Understand your student may act a little differently – they might be excited, or nervous, or trying to put on a brave face with their new peers in an unfamiliar situation, or they may want to act independently in getting moved in. Every student handles the hustle and bustle of Move-In differently. Be there with a supportive hug when needed, and let the student have their distance when needed.
Honor the New Deac Week schedule – our Flourish in the Forest sessions for families happen at the same time as students’ first residence hall meeting. This is intentional. It allows our new students to bond with each other and form friendships (and get comfortable with the idea of being on their own). Please stress to your student the importance of attending all required activities, and please do not pull them from events they are expected to attend.
Have fun whenever you can – sure, it can be a grind to move in and deal with extra trips to Target or the grocery store and such, but this is the start of what we hope will be four of the best years of your student’s life. Celebrate. Be excited. Recall your own time at college or during other experiences in your late teens and how fun it was. You are making family memories now that will last a lifetime.
Take pictures – this is a major milestone in your student’s journey to adulthood. Your student will want to remember this day, and so will you.
Before you leave, tell your students that you love them, that you are proud of them, that they’ll do well, and that you trust them. This is the most important of all. Nothing makes it better like your family can make it better, and we all need someone to remind us that we are loved and valued and capable.
And of course much of this advice applies to upperclassmen parents who will be moving in their sophomores, juniors, and seniors 🙂