Did you ever notice that by the end of the year you have way more stuff in your room than you started with in August? I always find myself with various costumes that I’ve bought for themed parties, books that I couldn’t sell back, and clothes for every season that I’ve been too lazy to bring home during breaks. With all of this stuff, packing can be really stressful. And while we’re all in denial about the end of the school year (is it okay that I’m pretending that I’m not graduating?), it’s time to start thinking about cramming everything you own into some bags to bring home.
Do I really need this? – That’s a question that you should be asking yourself as you pack. If the answer is no, then don’t pack it! Donate, recycle, or dump it. The important thing to remember about packing is that you are going to have to unpack eventually, so think about whether you want, need, or have somewhere to store the items that you are taking home. You know those shirts you have shoved to the back of your drawer because you haven’t worn them all year? Consider donating them! If you didn’t want to wear them this year, you probably won’t want to wear them next year either. One piece of advice I would give is not to get rid of any costumes – frat parties and mixers tend to reuse theme ideas so you’ll be able to reuse that stuff rather than having to purchase something new every time (I’ve worn my fanny pack an embarrassing number of times).
Don’t stress pack – Packing on its own is stressful so don’t go into it already stressed. You’ll just end up getting confused and frustrated. Instead, pick a time to pack when you’re calm and can really focus on what you’re doing.
Make a packing playlist – Personally, I find myself to be most productive when I listen to music. I have my iPod blasting tunes when I get ready for school, clean my room, cook dinner, and do my hair, so packing should be no different. Playing music will make packing way more fun and help you keep your sanity while you try to stuff your suitcases way beyond capacity.
Try not to leave everything until the last minute – As the semester winds down it can be difficult to balance finals, bucket lists, formals, and packing. I usually like to wait until after my finals are over before I start packing so that I can spend all of my time studying and writing essays. But, if you have any time at all, try to start packing earlier so that you don’t get stressed out rushing to cram your entire college life into a few boxes and suitcases.
Do some research – If you are coming back to Atlanta in August, consider storing some of your belongings rather than taking them all home. Keep an eye out for advertisements posted around campus about storage services – some will even pick up your boxes from your dorm room in May and then drop them off to your new room in August!
Packing is probably the last thing on your mind with finals, formals and the warm weather (finally!), but if you start now, you can enjoy your last few nights of the semester stress-free.