Move In Day Explained

What should we expect in terms of traffic and parking on move-in day?
Expect traffic on move-in day. After all, there are over 1000 freshmen and transfer students moving in between 8am and 4 pm. The LHU Public Safety Department will direct traffic allowing vehicles access to the residence halls for a short time to quickly and efficiently unload student belongings onto the sidewalk/ground. Once unloaded, vehicles will be directed away from the buildings to a campus parking lot.

Will there be anyone to assist my student move-in to his/her room?
Our Mover & Shaker program provides volunteers all day to help with freshmen move-in. These upperclassmen wear recognizable brightly-colored t-shirts and are easy to spot. Items are unloaded from your vehicle to the sidewalk, and time permitting, are brought up to your student’s room by these volunteers.

How will the weather conditions effect move-in?
Check the weather before your arrival to Lock Haven. Move-in will happen rain or shine. If it looks like rain, consider weather proofing items with trash bags and/or use plastic containers since it is a certainty that items will be exposed to the elements for a short period of time before they are moved to your student’s room. Lock Haven is typically hot and humid during August, so be prepared for warm conditions. Also know that the buildings will be quite warm because of the number of people present, a lack of air circulation and open doors. Make sure to wear appropriate clothing and drink lots of fluids.

Will there be any food available in move-in day?
Meals can be purchased in the campus dining halls or there are several restaurants located close to the campus.

What happens when my student gets to his/her residence hall? How does he/she get into his/her room?       
The actual check-in process is a little more involved than just receiving a room key. Resident Assistants (RAs) will help with this process by verifying your student’s paperwork, explaining the room condition report (an inventory of your student’s room), issuing keys, and answering any other questions you or your student may have at the time of check-in. Due to the number of students arriving, the lines can get long, so having patience is important.

How are the residence halls staffed during move-in?
In addition to the Resident Assistants (RAs), Residence Hall Directors, are available throughout the check-in process. Maintenance staff is also available to assist with maintenance issues that may need attention. Staff will be visible throughout the buildings and at all times should have a Lock Haven University staff shirt and name tag. Please don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need assistance.

What should my student bring on move-in day to make the move easier?
There are limited supplies available on check-in day. Bringing a few essentials will make your move to Lock Haven University a much easier one. Consider bringing scissors/box cutter, tape measure, hand-truck, a small first aid kit, and some basic tools.

What is provided in my student’s room?
Living in a residence hall community is one of the most memorable experiences your student can have at college. However, moving to a shared space can be quite a shock. It’s almost impossible to imagine how two or three students and all their stuff are expected to live in a small room and share a bathroom with their community. If you plan ahead and limit what your student brings, it is very manageable. Each room is furnished with a bed and mattress (typically 33” x 75”, standard twin), desk, chair, dresser per student, and closets/wardrobes. Bringing additional, bulky furniture will only make the room more cramped. If your student must have some additional pieces, consider items that break down, like foldable chairs. Your student should limit what clothing she/he brings and consider using storage containers that can double as a seat or small table and/or storage bags that compress to store items that are not used very often.

How will everything fit in the room?
If your student limits what she/he brings and packs wisely, all necessary items will fit. If you and your student are the first to arrive in the room, try to wait for the other roommate(s) to arrive and allow the students to make room decisions together. Remember the day is stressful and time is very limited. While everyone wants to be settled as soon as possible, final room arrangements do not need to be decided on move in day.

Can my student loft his/her bed?
The College does offer a loft service through www.877bedloft.com or 1-877-bedloft. Lofting the bed will give your student additional options for furniture arrangement and maximizing space. If your student is renting a loft, the loft company will deliver the loft prior to your student’s arrival.

Can my student decorate his/her room?
We encourage students to personalize their living spaces. When hanging items on the walls and other surfaces, avoid using strong tape (clear packing, duct) as these can cause damage and leave residue. Your student will be held responsible for any damage she/he does to the room.

Are Microfridges or carpets provided in the room?
Neither is provided in the room. Our Student Cooperative Council sponsors a Microfridge rental program. A mailing will be sent to your student’s home address over the summer. If a Microfridge is rented it is delivered to your student’s room prior to his/her arrival. Carpets can be purchased at many local vendors

What if something in your student’s room needs repair?
A student concerned about an item needing repaired in their room is encouraged to contact his/her Resident Director or Resident Assistant.

What should my student do with his/her trash and recycling?
Once your student unpacks, s/he will have a lot of trash and recycling. These items must be removed to the appropriate receptacles outside the building. Please do not leave these items in the hallways or stairwells as this creates a fire hazard and makes maneuvering in the halls difficult and your student could be charged for the removal of the debris.

How will my student access the college computer network?
Students can link directly to the network via the data port in their rooms. Students wishing to use the network via the data port will need to have an Ethernet card installed and supply a network cable (25 feet usually will reach from any spot in the room to the network jack). Once the card is installed, connect the cable from the Ethernet port on the computer to the computer port on your telephone/network jack. After arriving on campus, each student is required to authenticate his/her computer on the network. Authenticating just takes a few easy steps: When your student uses his/her computer for the first time, she/he will log on as usual. After she/he logs on, she/he must open a web browser and she/he will be presented with a LHU authentication page.

How much will get done before my student goes to Orientation?
Everything is now in the room. It’s time to figure out where not only where all of your student’s belongings will go; but his/her roommate has just as much stuff as your student. This is something that the people who actually live in Orientation begins in a couple of hours; how is it all going to get done? Setting up the room does take some time. Therefore you should realize that your student will have limited time to get settled on move-in day and getting the room set up may take more than a couple of hours. Have patience and enjoy letting your student and his/her roommate be creative with their room configuration.

Now that my student is settled how do I say good-bye?
Of course saying good-bye is the hard part. How you go about this is up to you. However, we recommend you start this good-bye process before you arrive. Your student will be whisked off to orientation rather quickly on Saturday afternoon. She/he will be concerned about getting to know his/her roommate(s) and hall mates as well as a million other things that seem to happen at once on move-in day. We tell you this in advance so you have adequate time to say “good-bye.”

What is available in the local Lock Haven community?