So, it's been a long road to get to this point. I can remember writing those essays, getting the amazing blue acceptance packet and everything in between. Plus, I just got back from Colonial Inauguration a few weeks ago! The whole GW, or as the cool kids say, G-DUB, experience seems like a complete whirlwind now. And can you believe it?!? We move NEXT MONTH!!!! :)
As housing assignments were just announced a few days ago, we all know where exactly we will be sleeping. For me, it's Thurston 124! But how exactly do we know what the room will look like, whether it has a walk-in closet or not, or any of the other unanswered questions. It seems like every time that I call G-DUB a student answers and has no clue what I am talking about. They then connect me to someone else who connects me back to the original student, and then I'm back to where I began. So I guess we are just supposed to know exactly what to do even though we have never been to college! ARGH! And my mom's biggest concern is how to get all of my clothes and other items to campus. They said to ship it all or buy it when we get there but 1) It would cost a TON of money to ship because I have a lot of stuff and 2) I do not want to be running around DC trying to find a Target or Wal-Mart to buy it all at and then carry it back to the dorm. So at this point my mom is wanting to get a U-Haul... :-/ Uhhh... who knows how it will turn out?!?
How are you getting your junk to campus on August 30th???
17 comments:
A) Bad customer service?: welcome to GW
B) How to get all your stuff to school?: bring less; don't be so spoiled.
You might want to post this in the blog ... or just leave it here as a comment. I am currently a supervisor working for Residential Property Management and can hopefully help you to provide any information regarding move-in.
First off --- I'm sure you've been told this 1000 times now, but check out http://living.gwu.edu - it has the most up to date information regarding move-in. What to do, what to buy, etc.
I would highly suggest buying everything once you get here, it is just so much easier. GWHP or any move-in staffer will be able to provide you with directions to Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, or Linens N Things.
One of the best pieces of advice I can give (I did it my freshman year), move-in and then go shopping. See what you need because you really will not know until you lay out what you have.
As far as your room goes - either GWHP or RPM can provide information regarding what your room looks like. We do not send out floor plans or pictures of rooms, but most people you speak to will be able to provide you with a general idea of what your room looks like. RPM can be reached at (202) 994-2430 or gwurpm@gwu.edu, our employees have been in every room on campus many times over the course of this summer alone and can give you a general idea.
Once again - GW trys to make your move-in experience the best possible -- and trust me it really is. It can seem stressful coming into it (especially with your parents asking you 1000 questions that you likely don't know the answer to), but it will all work out in the end.
Feel free to reply to this comment, send me an e-mail, or call RPM's office at (202) 994-2430. And of course - definitely keep looking at the living website (living.gwu.edu) and tell your parents to do the same -- it has a ton of excellent resources.
Good luck, and enjoy your last month of summer!
I live in Miami and am flying up on the 26th to move in the 27th for EDC. I am shipping a few items but took advantage of a few things. For one, http://www.rhl.org/gwu. I bought the Complete Campus Collection so that all of my towels and linens will be there for me on the day I arrive, rather than trying to drive to one of the linen stores that may be out of a ton of stuff and will most likely be crazy and crowded. Most importantly, though, RHL has free shipping :)
Two, both Bed Bath and Beyond AND Walmart (and I'm sure a few others) offer a "Pack and Go" (in the case of BBB) or "Ship to Store" (in the case of Walmart). The two are slightly different. For pack and go at Bed Bath and Beyond, you go to the store in your area, tell customer service you would like to do pack and go, and they will give you a scanner. You scan all of the items you want into a scanner, they hook it up to a computer, import it, and fax the list of what you want to the BBB in your college's area. The BBB in your area will find all of your items and pack them up for you, ready for pick-up when you arrive for college. Not sure how far in advance you need to place your order... so either ask them or do it ASAP. The service is free (as there is no shipping involved) so it saves you money on shipping costs- and BBB has a loottttt of useful stuff as well as a college sale going on.
Lastly, my roommate is bringing much of the larger things that would cost a fortune to ship and insure. A full length mirror, an ironing board, etc.
Good luck and if you have questions feel free to contact me!!
How are you planning on getting to campus? If you're driving, I'd say send a box or two ahead and pack up the car with all your earthly possessions. It's not fun, but it's not as bad as it sounds, either. If you're flying, probably sending a little more would make sense, but you're still going to need to take a lot of stuff with you.
Additionally, be warned that shopping in DC can be really annoying -- driving is a nightmare. Printing out Mapquest directions before you leave home (not waiting until you set up your internet in your room) is a good idea.
Where are you from? If you're anywhere east of TX I'd load up a van and drive to campus (it's so much easier to have your stuff, a car, and parents for your first move-in).
But if, like for me, GW is COMPLETELY across the country, here's my advice:
New Stuff:
Target's dorm stuff generally ships in 5 to 7 business days (just checked =P) so order 2 weeks ahead. Shipping's free for orders over $50- consider buying bedding, bathroom products, and a lamp. (I wouldn't go crazy cause like Sarah said, it's really better to wait and see what your space looks like first).
*Pay student package services to deliver this to your dorm!! On move-in day, it's worth it.
Stuff from home:
I'd take one really large suitcase just filled with clothes. That's realistically all the space you'll have in your room anyway.
BUY VACUUM SEALED BAGS. Great for towels and big jackets.
You know you can't bring everything, but don't get too minimal either- take what you need to feel at home (but leave the fridge :[ ).
You don't need to take your entire house to your room. Take some clothes, some shoes, etc. You're done. Noob.
Well, I am driving up from Georgia. But the thing is, and maybe I should have mentioned this in the blog, I am in a wheelchair so that means bringing lots more stuff. Examples: Spare wheelchair, shower chair, hoyer lift, special machines and blah blah blah. And it will be hard to even fit these items alone in the van. PLUS my friend is riding up with us and she will be living at GW also. But I guess we can figure something out with all of these suggestions! Thanks you guys!
also remember that you are probably going to go home for thanksgiving and/or winter break. DC will not be that cold until january so you probably wont need a big heavy jacket (well at all) but at least until jan. so bring that stuff back after the holidays.
Whatever someone said about emailing with questions about the dorm is right. I emailed and one of the people in housing lived in my building last year. she was able to give me a really good idea of what the room might (key word) be like. Also trying google searching for pics of ur dorm. u would be surprise what kids take pics of when they're bored ;)
If I were you, I would avoid getting a UHAUL at all costs. When you're moving in to Thurston, they are going to let you stay in a spot in front of the buidling for 15mins so you can unload your stuff, then you need to go find a legal parking spot somewhere else. They will try to cram a lot of cars together in front of the building, and it's hard to fit a normal size pickup truck (let alone a U-HAUL) into the spot you will be given.
I think I've been in your room, Thurston 124. Is it a double? If it is, then it's a large room with a really big handicapped bathroom. They're called "super doubles" in Thurston. I don't remember about the closet space... I lived in Thurston 3 years ago :)
But generally, there is at least 1 large closet in all the rooms in Thurston.
Make sure you talk to your roommate(s) about what each of you is bringing. No use bringing a shower curtain if your roommate already bought one.
I think your best bet is packing as much as you can fit in your car and shipping everything else. After freshman year, you won't need to worry about this again since you can store things over the summer in the future. GW also always offers buses to and from Target in VA at the beginning of the year, so this would be a good opportunity for you and your roommate(s) to go buy things if you don't want to worry about running around on move-in day.
In terms of the comment about not needing a winter jacket, I would not be so sure. There have been years where it has gotten pretty chilly in DC before Thanksgiving, and I definitely would not have gotten by without a winter jacket. However, if your parents are planning on coming for parents' weekend, maybe they could bring some of your winter things then. You should be fine without really warm clothing until October.
Well, enjoy your year in Thurston. I know a lot of people knock it, but I would not have wanted to live anywhere else. You're going to meet a lot of great people and have so much fun. Enjoy!
I'm sure they'll make exceptions on the 15 minute rule if you're in a wheelchair. I would contact the school beforehand if you're planning on bringing a UHaul and inform them of your various reasons for doing so. You very well can't ship a wheelchair... my grandmother had pulmonary fibrosis for a year and we were once recommended to ship her spare wheelchair and oxygen tank... what a joke that was.
Just contact the school beforehand and ask them what they can do for you as a handicapped student. There's no doubt they've run into this before. Good luck!
So as far as shipping goes...
1) How do you find your address for delivery?
2) How early can you start having stuff shipped to your dorm?
1) Addresses for shipping are here: http://living.gwu.edu/movein/shipping/
2) No earlier than August 1st. :)
Yes, it is a double that I will be living in. And I think that we are just going to ship most of the stuff up there, buy some when we get there and do that Bed, Bath, and Beyond thing, and then take the stuff that cannot be lost or damaged in the van. Unless we fly, and then we'll just take the necessary things on the plane. Hopefully it will work out and nothing gets lost!
I'm so happy my grandparents live 20 minutes away from the campus. I really feel for everyone else because I can't imagine trying to bring everything or ship it. I'm just going to put all of my clothes in 1-2 suitcases though and I've kept a lot of things, like my alarm clock or other stuff in the box from shipping so it still fits perfectly and I'll just take it in. And I have to mention, on move in day I will be very happy to be living on the Vern. I will avoid the chaos of Thurston at all costs.
hey cory there is a new mall with bed bath and beyond a target and a marshalls full of everything that ya need for move in
its in columbia heights on the green line and will take ya about 20 mins to get there (its right outside the metro station you CANNOT get lost)
hope i helped ya out
just some advice from your friendly neghborhood bear
~bear
You all might just want to keep in mind that GW Package Services (where your packages will go when you ship them) is the most horribly run, inefficient disaster of a clusterfuck (pardon my French) operation in the history of the world.
Especially during move in.
All you need to take is: clothes you need (not your tuxedo or fancy dress), ipod, laptop, towels, money, and ur toiletries
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