That time’s almost here. You’ve made it through yet another semester at college and cannot wait to head home for summer vacation. It’s a stressful time as final exams approach, yet the excitement of being able to taste the summer keeps you motivated to push through until you move on out. As relieving as it seems to hand in your last final and run out of the classroom with your newfound freedom, you remember that there’s still work to be done: the dreaded dorm room packing.
The good news is that these last minute scrambles to pack and go can be avoided with the proper preparation; so do yourself a favor and start packing ahead of time. Maybe if you live relatively close to campus you could begin bringing nonessentials home, like clothing you never wear or extra supplies you have lying around, over the period of a few weekends. Before you know it, you’ve brought home close to half your dorm, making moving out half as hectic (seventeen.com).
Sophomore Colleen Jones seems to have adapted to that method and suggests, “Slowly start bringing things home before you officially move out. It’ll lighten your load and you won’t be so overwhelmed once everything ends up back home.”
How often is it that you find yourself stuffing random items together in bins or bags because you didn’t realize how much stuff you actually had? By getting an idea of how many things you have to pack and figuring out how many storage units you need, you can purchase ahead and have just enough space to store all of your belongings when you move out (examiner.com). A great way to save money and the environment, instead of buying plastic bins, is by recycling old cardboard boxes and re-taping them.
“Rolling clothes instead of folding them helps you utilize more space so you can fit more clothes into your suitcase; fill every container as much as possible. If you have a toiletry bag that’s only half full, put other small items in there as well like jewelry,” junior Caitlyn Bolduc recommended.
One of the most simple solutions to end of the year packing that might be difficult for those who aren’t necessarily planners is making a list of what you need to bring home and final checks for the room. Of course, you might have everything stored, but what if you forget to disconnect certain outlets in your room that you could be fined for? The little things make a big difference, and making a list of important checking-out essentials can prove to be quite effective (examiner.com).
Junior Carolyn Wojtusiak had advice to offer on how she organizes her packing with finals approaching.
“Make a list of all the things you have and what you can live without for the last week or so of school and pack those things first,” Wojtusiak said. “That way it’ll be a gradual process instead of all at once and stressful. Gradual packing will make the last week at school more enjoyable and less stressful while you’re studying for finals!”
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mmattia@ramapo.edu
