The TL;DR
Move-in and the first week on campus is by far the most exciting time of college. (I can attest to this as a rising senior. My first week of college is still one I remember fondly!) However, there can be a lot of anxiousness and confusion in this time as well, as it’s your first time at college and perhaps your first time moving to a big city.
Thus, I hope this article will soothe those worries by giving you some advice from REAL NYU students.
Move-In
Right Before:
- Everyone will say this a million times so let’s make it a million and one: don’t overpack. If you’re feeling confused about what to bring definitely check out this article from a fellow student on how to pack for college.
- Make sure to schedule a move-in period, you’ll be able to block off two hours on a certain day for move-in. You have to make an appointment in order to move in, so make sure you do this! Don’t worry, if you buy stuff later you can still bring it up, this is just the earliest time you can start moving in your items.
- Double check you have all your important documents with you or completed. NYU requires you to have your health forms submitted before you move into campus. To get your NYU ID you will need a government-issued ID so make sure you have that handy on you. For international students, always carry documents like your F-1 Visa and passport with you.
Day of:
- Eat a good lunch or breakfast beforehand. Move-in was a whole workout for me. You will be thankful if you get a good meal in before this exercise regime.
- Remember that you’re allowed to bring family members to come help, so make sure you talk to your guardians beforehand!
- As international students, sometimes you might not have anyone to move in with you. That is totally okay too! I moved in completely alone and I managed to get everything done, do not worry. I know it can feel a bit lonely sometimes, watching everyone move in with their families. Make sure to call yours and show them your new place. (Check out this article for more advice on coming to NYU as an international student.)
- Parking is always a big question, especially in a big city. From my experience, most students just park briefly in front of the residence hall and try to get all their items off in one trip.
- NYU has big blue rolling bins for you to move your items to your room. Make sure to pack so the items easily fit into these blue bins.
- Be patient! Even though there are designated move-in slots, it is still a busy day. The elevators might be extra occupied, so try to be as patient as possible moving in.
- Keep track of your keys! I was going in and out of my room to move items in, and there were a couple of times I nearly got locked out. Make sure you always bring your keys out with you – it would be sad if you had to tell your RA on the first day that you’ve been locked out.
Settling in:
- Decorate your space! Putting little things you like will make your new space feel more like your own. If you couldn’t tell from the photo above, I went a little crazy with the posters.
- Get to know your roommates! Especially if you opted for the randomized roommate assignment. Everyone is as nervous as you (or even more), it doesn’t hurt to strike up a conversation and ask them out for a meal.
- Roommate rules!!! I cannot emphasize this enough, make sure you sit down with your roommates and discuss sleeping arrangements and cleaning schedule. My roommates and I had a post-it note wall, with our class schedules so we always knew where the other people were.
- Make sure to attend the residence hall orientation hosted by your RA. During my year of moving in, it was over Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions, so things might look a little different for you!
- Enjoy NYU Welcome!!! I cannot say this enough. I met a lot of great friends through Welcome and I felt so much more like a college/NYU student. (For more of what to expect, check out this article from a student Welcome Leader!)
Officially a College Student
Hopefully, this article highlights a couple of main tips for the moving-in process and helps you feel better prepared to officially join our NYU community. The first week on campus is so hectic and time seems to move double the speed. Don’t forget to really take it all in and enjoy yourself. I still remember going out for the first time with my roommates to grab a meal and walking alone in NYC. I felt so proud and excited to finally be a college student. So, get ready for one of the best weeks of your life!
Related
International Students: Prepare for a New Home at NYU
Moving to a new country can be scary! A current NYU international student shares her checklist for moving to the United States and living in New York City.
From Homesick to Home: An International Student at NYU
NYU Stern student Annabelle describes her experience and offers advice on finding your place and community at NYU an international student.
An Introvert’s Declassified College Survival Guide: NYU Edition
An introverted student shares her advice on how to navigate college life on NYU's NYC campus.