Moving your College-Bound Child into the Dorms

Whether you are sad, proud, or let’s be honest, eager for your child to move out of the house and into their college dorm, it is still a difficult task. And no matter how much experience you have moving, this particular move tends to be the hardest.

Moving your college-bound child from the luxuries of your home and into the dorm style living area is difficult for a number of reasons. If you are moving your daughter, there is the issue of minimizing the amount of clothes, shoes, make up and further accessories. And if you are moving your son, I am sure there are several gadgets from a television and Xbox, to laptops and desktops they find essential for living or in reality, gaming.

Regardless the gender you are moving and the items you are dealing with, there is also the seasonal climate changes to take into account. How far in advance should they pack? Should they bring her winter gear now or wait until Thanksgiving break for when they visit come next?

But once you have all that figured out, think again. Because the biggest task of all is fitting all of your kids things into a small, shared, roughly 15x15 dorm room. And let me tell you, people get very creative. Some students hang bicycles from their dorm walls. Other opt-out their desk space altogether to make way for a large TV as a gaming station. Luckily, your child should be the one shouldering most of these issues. They will be on their own soon enough so why not start early. However, as the parent, you have a couple of key tasks to stay on top of.

Make sure your child contacts their assigned roommate(s). There are so many ways to connect people now a days that it should be a fairly simple task to contact the person or people they will be living with.
Make sure you have all the move-in directs: day, location, time, and any other orientation details your new college student should be aware of. And with that in mind, arrive on time. Your child is not the only one moving in at your given date and time.
If you are traveling far, arrive before the move-in date. You will be thankful to have the extra time. You can also use this opportunity to explore the college town with your child. It is always fun to scope out the local college hangouts and eateries.
Participate in any and all orientation activities. You and your child will benefit from all the information orientation provides.
And lastly, let your child take the reins on the packing and unpacking. They are about to live on their own so it’s time to let go. And remember, they are not truly alone. There are thousands of other students in the same boat as them.

Be aware that this is a huge step in your child’s life. And whether your child is moving close by to Tulsa University or a plane ride away, some kids are typically nervous to leave their home for the first time so be supportive and reassuring for the both of you. It is always settling when someone confirms that you are doing the right thing. So for you eager parents, wait for your child to be all settled into their new home before giving their room a full makeover. You wouldn’t want to give them the wrong impression. And for those polar opposite parents, don’t hover over them. Give your kid a little space to adapt to a life without you. In general, moving is difficult. However with a little help from Tulsa movers and keeping these few tips in mind, moving your child to college will be quick and easy.