A guide for students moving back to school to help make the transition easier whether you’re moving for the first time, changing schools, or returning after a summer at home.
As COVID-19 restrictions are lifting, many schools are preparing to resume in-person classes in the fall. It may be your first time moving for school, or you may be returning after spending the pandemic at home while classes were online. Regardless of your unique situation, moving back to school is a big transition and can be stressful for you and your family. We’ve made a helpful guide for moving back to school to help you trade feelings of stress for feelings of excitement!
Get to know your new neighbourhood.
The first step to prepare for moving back to school is to familiarize yourself with your new home and neighbourhood. This is especially important if you’re moving to a new city for school for the first time. Get to know the area, the community, and the public transit system. Suppose you’ll be living in residence on campus. In that case, it’s a good idea to go over the rules, regulations, and restrictions they may have – things may have changed a bit to maintain safety during COVID-19. Doing all of this research ahead of time will make your moving day significantly less stressful and helps to ease the nerves.
Planning your move
How you plan on moving back to school depends on whether you’re moving into student housing, residence, or getting a place of your own. Your move-in date and protocol will vary on where you’re living – moving into a residence typically have stringent guidelines and protocol to follow. If you’re moving into an apartment or shared housing, be sure to coordinate your move with your building management or landlord and any people you may be living with. Make sure to complete all necessary documents and paperwork ahead of your moving day.
This is the busiest time of year for the moving industry. Trying to book a moving truck or hire a moving company last minute may be difficult, so plan and reserve as far in advance as possible. Once you have your moving truck, time management is crucial to ensure you have the truck back in time for the next person and avoid any additional charges. Be sure to plan for a lot of traffic, busy elevators, and other possible delays.
Packing for moving back to school
If you’ve moved to school before, you probably already have a good idea of what you will and won’t need to pack. If this is your first time, you can find packing lists and tips all over the internet that you can follow. Your first day of classes won’t be too long after your move-in date, so keep all of your school supplies and necessities somewhere separate from the rest of your belongings. When you’re packing for moving back to school, keep in mind that most student housing spaces can be pretty small and have limited space for storage.
Get excited about this adventure.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed and to feel anxious or scared when moving back to school. However, this is an inspiring new adventure, so enjoy it as much as possible. Give yourself time to prepare, avoid leaving things until the last minute, and you’ll be settled in before you know it.
