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Organizing for the move to college…

February 9, 2016 by Olivia Kathleen Richards   

As you take in the final days of high school, don’t wish them away. Cherish them. Time flies and before you know it, you’re already moving to University Park to start your life as a Penn State freshie 🙂 While, yes, it is incredibly exciting. It is also very new and similar the millions of words that I described the year with in my first blog post. It’s lit but first you need to get here.

 

Moving Tip #1          Be organized!           If you are like me, you’re are organized to the point that  you schedule your day down to the half-hour and you love lists. I can’t survive without them. So, in mid-April, I had already started (because of my excitement for school to begin in June). I have attached my College Shopping List that I came up with to hopefully help you as well! It will save you time because you won’t have to check your pile of “Stuff to go to college” every time you want to buy a few more things for school. It will put your mind at ease, when you get in the car to leave, because you will be confident in the fact that you aren’t forgetting anything important. Also, you’ll save money too. My sister and I are complete opposites. My Mom told her that she needed to have a list and such. She ended up needing to take a $400 trip to Target on the day she moved in. While my parents could thankfully foot the bill, no one wants to spend money on the college budget at the last minute. Also, she arrived to school with two pretty sets of desk organization things and three shower caddies…No one can shower three times at once. Who needs two sets of desk organizers when you only have one desk? You don’t want to make these mistakes and forget important things. Also, to be efficient when you are out shopping in the month leading up to going away, save the document on Google Sheets to be able to access it easily and mark off items that you purchase. This way, you’ll always be able to add items to the list that you think of on the go.

 

Moving Tip #2      You sadly can’t bring everything but don’t forget the important stuff…              I had a difficult time realizing this as my parents and I needed to make almost three trips with full laundry carts full of my stuff. In the summer, my clothes were thinner, smaller and took up less space. Also, I had a double without a roommate and took up all of the drawers along with my closet. We don’t have much room/space. You don’t need to bring EVERY high school t-shirt. You won’t wear them all. Keep the storage in mind. Come fall, I had to send a ton home. There isn’t enough room here for my entire closet to come along from home.

While you can’t bring everything, don’t forget the things that you can’t buy at Target or will be expensive to send by the mail. Jewelry, makeup collection, hair tools, and your technology (iPad, Laptop, Chargers, Headphones, etc.) Bring lots of headphones. I use Apple headphones while walking to not look like a fool. I wear my Beats in the HUB. (You’ll realize that it isn’t the quietest place during the day but it is often very convenient). While they aren’t too expensive to replace, numerous pairs of wire headphones add up on the college budget.

Until next time…


9 Comments »

  1. Amanda Craine says:

    Adding on to your statement regarding bringing things you can’t buy, One of the most important things I have in my rooms are my pictures and things that people gave me. While I’m away from home and the comfort of my hometown, it’s important to bring a piece of it with you to college. My pictures remind me of the love I share with my friends and family. It’s important to remember where you’re from in order to keep you grounded while away at college.

  2. Kandice Pettaway says:

    You started packing so early OMG! I waited until the night before lol. I love how accurate your blog is. Definitely need to bring endless headphones because I lost 3 pair last semester. In addition, everything is more expensive around college so remembering the essentials is necessary. You should publish this as a book 🙂

  3. Courtney Hummel says:

    This post was great! I definitely wish I would have read it before moving in, as I brought way too many things and had to send a lot back. And as for organization and lists, you are completely right. I totally live by my Google Calendar. Awesome job!

  4. Takara Richard says:

    I cannot believe I have no read your blog before! I make lists for everything they are practically extra appendages on my body There is nothing better than being organized and being able to check/cross things off when you get them done. I always find though that i am never organized leaving college each semester- I am more organized coming up! Anyway, I really loved this and found it to be personally relatable, lovable, and overall well written.

  5. Victor Ariyo says:

    Well, it looks like I should have read your blog before college because I feel that i am one of those types of people who “overpack” and I am completely self-aware about it. I do respect the fact that you are organized but with me I am an partly-organized time type of person. (As in, if I feel like getting organized I will take care of it and if I don’t don’t.)

  6. Maddie Z. says:

    The theme for this blog is so adorable and I feel like I’m reading Pinterest Articles! Personally, I am a very organized disorganized person. Although my room may look messy, I know exactly where everything is. I am also one of those people who was disappointed when she found out that she would be unable to bring everything in her bedroom at home to college. Luckily, it is a fairly short drive for me so I get the best of both worlds in a sense. I have also lost about 5 pairs of headphones in my two semesters here in State College, and I’ll have to keep tips like this in mind next time I shop and pack for college (sophomore year woohoo!).

  7. Mary Ohara says:

    Yes lists are very helpful. Personally, I was obsessed with watch youtube dorm videos. I would watch to see what to bring to school and how to decorate my dorm. It ended up being really helpful because bringing the perfect amount of stuff is so under-ratedly important. Plus it helped with organization, just like your post. Spot on.

  8. Claire Bender says:

    This blog post is super relevant to my situation. First, coming from California, I had to ship most of my belongings to State College before I even got here. With that being said, it was very difficult for me to keep track of what I brought and what I needed to by. That is why I too, believe in lists. I think that they are an imperative part of moving into college. No one wants to pay hundreds of dollars on things that they don’t need when in college, that’s a new computer or a TV for your dorm. I think it’s ridiculous when people wait until the last minute to get all of their college shopping done, resorting to the most expensive stores available with what they need in stock.

  9. Sarah Magee says:

    I definitely agree with you on not having to bring everything you own to college with you. When I packed up everything to move here in the Fall, my dad’s giant truck was filled to its capacity and my parents though I was being ridiculous. I ended up sending a lot back so it’s a very good idea to make a list like you said.

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