ParentNet

Housing Room Assignments

Typical room setup with two lofted beds. Approximatley half the room is pictured here.

In just a little more than a month, Michigan Tech students will be moving into the Residence Halls and will be preparing for the start of the fall semester.  Students should be receiving their Housing Room Assignments within the next week.  When students receive their Housing Room Assignment Letter there will be a link to the Housing Welcome website.  Students can go to the Housing Welcome Website to view all the pertinent information regarding their room assignment.  The website will have information regarding the student’s room, room phone number, roommate, meal plan, and Resident Assistant.  The website also has helpful information such as floor plans of the room and photos of the furniture that will be in the room.  This helps students visualize just what their rooms will look like and what they should bring with them to Michigan Tech.  It is a great idea for student’s to contact their roommates before they arrive to Michigan Tech to get to know one another and plan out what they are bringing up for the room.  Regarding Housing Assignments, It is also important to remember that assignments are processed in the order in which they are received by the Housing Office.  Housing does their very best to place students in the Residence Hall they requested on their Housing Application.  From my experience whichever Residence Hall you end up in as a first year student, that is the Residence Hall that you really fall in love with.  That is where you are going to make some of your closest friends, have some of your best college memories, and that will be the place that will become your home while you are a Michigan Tech student.

Storage containers can make a student's closet at college very organized!

What to Bring

I would strongly encourage students to begin the process of packing the items they are going to bring to Michigan Tech as soon as possible.  It is also very helpful to make a list of the items that you have packed up so that you don’t forget what you’ve already purchased and packed.  You should also have a running list of items that you still need to pack or still need to purchase.  For a list of items that student’s should expect to bring with them to campus go to the First-Year On-Campus Living page.  There are a lot of items to think about bring with you to campus!  The categories include:  academic supplies, room items, electronic items, laundry items, personal items, clothing items, and miscellaneous items.  Most academic supplies are pretty similar to those that student’s and their parents have been purchasing throughout high school.  Students should have a stock of notebooks, binders, sticky notes, highlighters, and pens.  In regards to room items students can expect to bring bedding to fit an extra long twin mattress, a small refrigerator, a microwave, cleaning supplies, and lots of storage containers.  Storage containers are a huge space saver for college students.  Roll away storage containers fit great under futons to store extra clothes or bed linens, drawer dividers help students make better use of their space, and extra large storage bins are great for storing winter coats and athletic gear.  For electronic items students will most likely want to bring a computer with them, possibly a printer, an external hard drive, power strips, a coaxial cable, and a television.  Students should also remember to bring their personal items, such as medications, a small first aid kit, a shower caddy, and toiletry items.  In regards to clothing items, in addition to typical wardrobe items students should bring with them a warm winter coat, warm winter boots, gloves, and long underwear.  Laundry rooms can be found in each Residence Hall.  Washing machines are free for students to use and dryers are just .25 cents per load.  Student should bring with them laundry soap, dryer sheets, stain remover, and a laundry bag.  As a female student at Michigan Tech I like to hang dry some of pants and shirts.  I find it helpful to also have a collapsible drying rack for delicate air dry items.  Lastly, some of the most forgotten and important items that a student should bring with them to Michigan Tech are the miscellaneous items.  Students should remember to bring their social security card, an ID, and a health insurance card.  Students will need an ID and a social security card if they would like to work on campus.

Items to Leave at Home

Students should make sure they leave candles, electric heaters, air conditioners, halogen lights, toasters, and toaster ovens at home.  These items are not permitted in Michigan Tech’s Residence Halls.

Packing Tips

As a college student moving away from home for the first time you may be tempted to take all of your belongings with you but remember most students go back home for fall break and winter break.  Going home for fall break and winter break is a great time to grab any items that were forgotten and take home any items that are not needed anymore.  It is also important to remember that you are going to be living with another person who is also going to be bringing all their essentials with them too.  Some parents and students struggle getting everything to fit in the vehicle they are driving up to Michigan Tech.  One tip that I heard from a Michigan Tech parent was to do the Ship-To-Store Option at Walmart.  We have a Walmart just minutes from Michigan Tech’s campus.  Parents and students can order their items online and have them shipped to the Houghton Walmart.  This is a great way to make sure you have everything you need without trying to squeeze it all in the vehicle you are bringing to Michigan Tech.  Supplies also can get pretty low in the stores in the local area because so many parents and students run out to get last minute items during move-in weekend.  By making sure you have everything packed or ordered before you come to Michigan Tech you won’t have to worry about not being able to find essential items.  Also, some students may be tempted to bring along with them a vacuum, lots of cooking supplies, or games.  Students can bring these items with them to Michigan Tech, however, each Residence Hall has a reception desk that has many cooking supplies, games, and several vacuums available for students to check-out.

I hope you are as excited to start the fall semester as I am!  Please feel free to email me with any questions, comments, or suggestions you may have!  Don’t forget to check back for next week’s article in which I will be writing about the purchasing a computer and purchasing textbooks.