As an incoming freshmen, last week was overwhelming to say the least.
I had to move in, find my classes, meet new people at social events and figure out what I could and couldn’t do around campus. This has been a big change for everyone in my position, as this is much different from what we all know, which is simply living at home and going to high school.
Every college has different availability for students to move in. Some have a full week or more available for students, while others only offer two or three days. Then, there’s a select few that allow students to only move in the day before classes start.
Ferris gave students a few move in options. If you are playing a sport this fall, you were able to move in early, as practices began before move in weekend. Special circumstances could also warrant an early move in if housing was contacted. They would then let you move in on Aug. 25, while everyone else had to move in on Aug. 26-28.
A drastic change like starting college is complicated enough, the last thing you want to do is rush it, which is exactly what such little move-in time does. Ferris had specific time slots for move in that students had to choose from, which may have caused more stress for people, especially those who live further away.
It can be challenging to move to a new place for some people. There’s a lot one has to adjust to, such as a new bed, schedule, appliances and even new roommates or neighbors that are basically strangers. Some students will need more time than others to transition into the college lifestyle and living arrangements.
As I’ve mentioned, the time slots for move-in provided by Ferris can be crushing and very difficult to schedule around.
I think there could be some all around benefits for an extension for move in.
If Ferris allowed us to move in even just a week sooner, that would give us a full week to settle in and meet people under calmer circumstances. Also, the RA’s would be able to set up more events and get more participation from their residents.
Believe me, I loved all the events Ferris did during move-in weekend. But because so many of them were going on at the same time, you had to pick and choose what you wanted to do most. If the events were spread out just a little more, it would give everyone more time to check out all the different activities Ferris has to offer.
As things currently are, some students already feel like they have too much pressure on them, and classes just started.