Cars with their hazard lights on line the sidewalks while boxes and crates are lugged up and down staircases and elevators. Monumental towers of cardboard can be found any which way you look. There’s a faint clamor of parents and kids echoing through the streets. Everyone’s a little sweaty. Welcome to Move-In Day. 

Move-In Day is fun for a ton of reasons. It’s stressful for a ton of other reasons. Amid the chaos and anticipation, forgetting to take care of yourself can be easy. Here’s a basic checklist to follow so that no man (or box) gets left behind in all the hullabaloo. 

Pack a ton of snacks and water

Move-In Day is going to be hot, and you’re going to be hungry. Being dehydrated or hangry is not fun nor exciting. Dinner after moving in feels extra deserved after heavy lifting all day, but to hold you over until then, it is super important to make sure you’ve got a granola bar and your water bottle is filled throughout the day. As we weather a pandemic, especially, it is crucial to bring your own sustenance. Targets, Walmarts and fast food places in the area are going to be packed, and there may be lines at the door to get in due to social distancing regulations. Move in week actually closely resembles March 2020 back when grocery stores were cleaned out, so another tip is to bring some food from home to your dorm or house. 

You’ll have the rest of the year to impress your good-looking neighbor; Move-In Day is not the time

Ditch the cute outfit, and opt for something comfortable and old. Dorms and apartments are cleaned before new tenants, but that doesn’t mean they’re spotless. Chances are, things are probably still filthier than you and I would like to think. Plus, moving crates up and down the stairs is a lot harder when you’re wearing something you’re worried about ripping or getting dirty. 

Easy access to Tylenol or Advil

This one’s pretty self-explanatory. Between bumping into things, lifting heavy items and the stress of it all in general, you’re going to want to have a pain killer on hand. 

Take a break when you need to

This can be hard. Me and my family are always a little on edge during Move-In Day, and it’s easy to want to keep going and get everything done as quick as possible, so you don’t have to worry about it in the days to come. But the worst part of Move-In Day, worse than the manual labor and the heat, is the stress. It’s not always clear what to do, where to go or where to put your things, especially if you’re a freshman. And if you’re like me or my family, little things have the capacity to cause big disagreements. Remember, you don’t have to get everything done in a couple hours, and just because you decide to put the internet router in one place does not mean it has to stay there all year. It’s really not the end of the world. Everything is subject to change, and it’s really not a big deal. Whether it’s taking a break from labor or family members, it’s important to calm down and remember all the things you have to look forward to in the upcoming year. 

Move-In Day is great; it marks the beginning of another year of discovery in yourself and of the world. It’s important to take these basic self care steps to ensure that Move-In Day doesn’t become a total nightmare.  

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