In anticipation of the fall semester, we recently asked seasoned University of Iowa parents to share their tips for move-in day and saying goodbye. The common themes were “less is more” and “short and sweet.”
Official move-in information is posted on the University Housing and Dining website at housing.uiowa.edu/move-in, but read below for parent tips.
“It helped that we only had a short amount of time to move our daughter in. We unloaded her stuff and left, all in 30 minutes. A quick goodbye was all we did and then we left her to be with friends. It was an exciting time, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
–CJ, Cedar Falls, Iowa
“I would suggest coordinating with the roommate(s). I found it was advantageous for each family to have its own window of time to have the room to themselves. Dorm rooms are short on space for both people and the scattering of items that occurs when unpacking. The goodbye freshman year can be bittersweet. My son posed for a photo in front of his dorm upon our goodbye. He doesn’t know I took one of him walking away into the dorm entrance. That photo was strictly for me—it was a moment of accomplishment for me as a parent.”
–Linda Willetts, Lake in the Hills, Illinois
“Use plastic bins for as much stuff as possible. They stack easily and are easier to transport. Keep clothes on hangers and cover them with a garbage bag, then you can hang them in the closet when you get into the dorm. Talk with the roommate and decide who will bring which appliances. As far as saying goodbye, keep it short and sweet—the longer you linger, the harder it is.”
–Sheri Taylor, West St. Paul, Minnesota
“Bring a pair of scissors! This may sound odd, but often there are new items that are shrink-wrapped or packaged in hard, clear plastic that only scissors can handle. We had several students borrow ours during move-in.”
–Sara Uttech, Fall River, Wisconsin
“Beware that your goodbyes and the emotions associated with them might start before you even leave your student. Our daughter burst into tears while brushing her teeth in the hotel the night before we even moved her into her dorm—even after showing very few signs that she was going to be upset or nervous about the transition. Also, there simply isn’t enough room for large trucks and moving vans. We came from out of state and brought our car with a trailer behind it, never thinking that there might not be room to park. On move-in day, as challenging as the car and trailer were, we saw people in much larger vehicles who had a more difficult time.”
–Autumn Shannon, Blairsville, Pennsylvania
Be patient.
Have two drivers so one can drop off stuff while the other looks for parking or just circles around.
Use big, plastic laundry baskets to pack stuff. You can leave them for your student to use if you don’t need them.
Don’t take too much. Your student can fill in the gaps for whatever is needed. Iowa City has plenty of shopping options.
Don’t hang around too long. Have some tissues and upbeat music ready for the trip home, sans one.
–Leslie DuPree, Davenport, Iowa
“Our daughter graduated from the University of Iowa and we just moved her to Austin, Texas, using the same techniques we used freshman year! When moving clothes out of the closet, leave them on the hangers. Get the large, black garbage bags and rubbers bands. Make a small whole at the bottom of the bag, which will now become the top of the bag. After you cover a handful of clothes, the tops of the hangers will go through the hole like a garment bag. Tie the bottom of bags to protect the clothes, then rubber band the hangers together. When it’s time to unpack, you just hang the hangers in the closet and remove the bags. It’s so easy and the clothes don’t get wrinkled! Remember to not pack boxes that are too big, so they don’t get too heavy. You don’t want to put out your back! Also, remember to do all of this with a smile—it should be a fun and exciting time for parents and student (even though we all know it’s stressful). Go out to eat when you’re all done moving. You want to leave on a good note!”
–Wendy Stein, Riverwoods, Illinois
“As excited as your student and their soon-to-be roommate will be to meet one another, we suggest arranging separate arrival times. We never could have unloaded and unpacked with more than the three of us in the dorm room (student, mom, and dad). We needed room for piles of boxes, space to move furniture, piles of bedding, and so on. Once we got our boxes unpacked, we cleared out the excess, made a list of things we needed, drove our daughter to Target, and gave her roommate and her parents a few hours to do use the room the same way we did.”
–Heather Grimstad, Superior, Wisconsin
“Definitely be patient! There were lots of people, but I thought it was quite organized. Follow the directions provided by the school and all will go well until you have to leave. Bring lots of Kleenex. The first year was tough, but each year it gets easier. Don’t bring too much stuff. They don’t need much. Remind them that this is the best time of their life and don’t over-extend your time after moving them in.”
–Kimberly Curran
“Less is best. Send your student with only one set of bed sheets. Pack using compression Ziploc-style bags and have your student store them in their empty luggage for the return trip home at the end of the year. Buy bulky items locally and bring them into the dorm room AFTER the move-in rush is over. Do not buy a mattress topper until your student has slept on their dorm bed for a while. My student found her dorm bed to be perfectly comfy as is. Also, there will be long lines to use the elevators. We took the stairs to the third floor since our transport was minimal and each item was easily carried by one person. Parents should vacate the room once everything is inside. Walk the beautiful campus, get something to drink, and meet up with your student later. The university does a great job making move-in as smooth as possible. Enjoy the process and SMILE!”
–A parent in Portland, Oregon
“When my husband and I moved our son into Hillcrest in 2016, I was given great advice by a friend who went through such a move a couple of years earlier: She told me to use plastic bins to pack clothes, bedding, etc. in. I bought the 70-quart bins and they worked out GREAT. While it did not rain on the move-in date (these would protect everything in case the weather was bad), after we unpacked and put everything away, the bins all fit into each other and we easily carried them back down to our car. I also left a bin in his dorm room with snack food and a smaller bin with extra toiletries. We still use the bins for pack-up each spring and move-ins in the fall. He roomed with a high school friend, and after we finished unpacking and setting dorm room up, we went out to eat with his roommate’s parents before we headed home. We walked to a local restaurant, chatted and laughed, and tried not to be sad.”
–Lee Ann Milbratz, Mokena, Illinois
“As the proud parents of a Hawkeye (Class of 2016, Tippie College of Business), we experienced numerous move-ins starting with our first one at Burge in 2012. In general, Iowa does an excellent job facilitating that first move-in for nervous freshmen and their parents. Some tips I learned along the way:
- Pack in cubes/bins as much as possible. These are easy to handle, and things don’t get lost.
- When you need assistance, the Iowa volunteers are well marked and willing to help.
- Pay attention to the traffic patterns and guidelines, especially at drop-off. They help get cars in and out quickly.
- Hydrate. Most likely you will be taking stairs in the heat, so make sure you have water and an energy bar at your disposal.
- Label everything. Bins and boxes look alike, so make sure your things are identified properly and distinctively.
- Get your student to be a minimalist. The reality is that you pack way more than you actually need. Look at what is in the car and back it off by 20 or 30 percent.
- Buy what you can locally after move-in. Target and Walmart will be your best friends.
- Be courteous and respectful to others, and keep your temper in check. It is stressful but a smile and holding a door go a long way and you will get it back in return.
- Enjoy the ride. This is a great time to bond with your student and see how they handle the next phase of life. Treat it as such and don’t allow yourself to melt down. Celebrate their independence.”
–Nick Alfano, St. Paul, Minnesota
“Definitely use the big bins provided by the residence halls to help move your stuff in. That was a huge help for us! Also, plan to go out for a meal together after your student is moved in. That way you can have a nice family meal and say goodbye without feeling rushed.”
–Nicki Moad-West, Burlington, Iowa
“Our experience in moving our daughter into Burge was very smooth and well organized. Kudos to the University of Iowa team and volunteers. I knew I would be too emotional to express everything I wanted to say to our daughter when the time came to leave, so I wrote her a note with everything I wanted to say the night before we left. Then, when the time came for hugs (and tears), I was able to hand her the note so she could read it later and understand my excitement for her and also how proud I am to be her mom.”
–Nancy Tank, St. Louis, Missouri
“For those moving into Mayflower, trust the system—because it works! Even if you are very familiar with Iowa City, take the suggested route to the residence hall, arrive during your assigned one-hour window, and park where instructed. Once there, a team of easily identifiable helpers will quickly have everything out of your vehicle, loaded into bins, and transported to your student’s room. I expected the worst last year and was very pleasantly surprised to have everything moved into my daughter’s room in less than 30 minutes. As for saying goodbye, keep it short and spare the drama—for everyone’s benefit.”
–Duane Coleman, St. Louis, Missouri
“We’re about to move in another freshman. Our oldest graduated from Iowa in four years, and when we moved him in, it was hot and pouring. It’s good to prepare for all weather. Don’t overpack, because you can always run to Target or Walmart. The volunteers were so helpful, but families should be prepared to wait. Be patient and kind—you’re all in this together!”
–Julie Criswell, Arlington Heights, Illinois
1. Bring a small fan to keep the room cool while the A/C is starting up.
2. Label all boxes and totes. We used masking tape for totes noting our son’s surname, residence hall, and room number in case anything got lost.
3. Bring a small cooler with drinks and some snacks.
4. Be patient!
–Laura Sherwin
“My advice is to take as little as possible. The less you take in, the less you need to move out!”
–Andrea Rodrigues, Delafield, Wisconsin
If you come with your own type of moving cart, you don’t have to wait for one, and the move goes faster.
Come with extra people to assist so you don’t have to make as many trips.
Think about the size and dimensions of the elevator to see if your furniture will fit (example: a futon is not fun to carry up seven flights).
Bring extra-long cable wire so you can adjust the room how you want to rather than based on where the cable jack is.
Pack hanging clothes with garbage bags around them for easier carrying and you can then stack them on a cart.
Have bottled water ready in the room. You will be thirsty!
–An anonymous parent
Bring the tools needed to take apart and put together anything you are bringing (side table, bookshelf, TV stand, electronics, etc.).
Bring extra-large (50 gallon) garbage bags, in case of inclement weather and to have handy to hold random fluffy stuff like towels, pillows, linens, and blankets.
Bring any type of two-wheel moving cart to use for bulky heavy items. Carts and bins are available on site, but lots of people are using them, so it’s nice if you bring your own.
Don’t feel like you need to bring absolutely everything. There is easy access to shopping nearby. That said, bring a few of your student’s very favorite things that may only be available in your hometown.
Must haves (that either your student or their roommate can bring) include a mini-fridge, a microwave, a coffee maker (like a Keurig), a shower tote, and all-purpose cleaning wipes (like Clorox or Lysol).
Read all the helpful brochures about what to pack and when to show up for your assigned move-in time—it’s super organized if everyone knows and understands what they need to do.
Your student is assigned a specific day and time to move in. This is important and it’s how everything stays so well organized during what could be a very chaotic time.
Get their stuff into the room and go get some food or take a break. Your student may need some time to just talk to their roommate and decide where things are going to be (the more they do this on their own, the better it works out in the end). There are lots of good food places nearby—just ask anyone for a recommendation.
–Michelle Danielson, Iowa City, Iowa
“I have left my daughters at college move-in a total of eight times. Be ready for the emotional rollercoaster ride. Your new college student is experiencing at least a dozen emotions during their move-in—from total excitement to world-class fear. As their parent, all you can do is be there for them, even if that means turning your own emotions way down.
This is your student’s day. Let them tell you what they need. They may want you to stay all day. They may want you to leave right away. Ask them. And don’t be surprised if they don’t know! As a parent, I have felt best when I know I have met all their immediate needs before I leave (a meal, a few dollars, and any cables or whatever they didn’t pack), a reassuring “You can do this,” and a hug goodbye. My personal “Mom goal” is to save my tears for the drive home so as not to dampen their exciting day.”
–Mary Prom, Elkhorn, Wisconsin