We’re excited to welcome your student to Carthage during New Student Arrival. Here are some move-in tips from parents of current and former students to help you prepare for your student’s arrival on campus.

“Bring a dolly or wagon to transport heavy boxes or your student’s mini-fridge. This way, you can avoid carrying it yourself and avoid making multiple trips. Oh, and IKEA has the BEST shopping bags!” — Jackie E.

“I found move-in (and move-out) to be very well organized. Prepare to use the stairs, though! My daughter was on the fourth floor in Denhart last year and the elevator gets busy.” — Jamie S.

“We had one parent help for move-in. Emotions are all over the place and more people in a small room definitely makes it harder for everyone, especially if the roommate and their family are there at the same time. Give your freshman all the space and latitude they need. They are trying to figure it out too. Just keep asking what to do. Your student might just have a plan.” — Trudi F.

Students and families unpack their cars for move-in. Tips and information from Carthage 
  • Consider bringing a dolly, cart, or wagon to assist you in moving items in and out of the facilities. Carthage does have carts and dollies available, but they are in limited supply.
  • Make sure your student labels their belongings with masking tape, writing down their building name and room number.
  • Always leave one person with the vehicle to help move-in run smoothly.

The Move-In Crew at 2022 Arrival and Move-In. “Coordinate with the roommate on who has what. I’d recommend buying clip-on lights for their bed for extra lighting. Depending on the room set up, bed risers were a godsend.” — Colleen S.

“Walmart, Aldi, and Target are only a few miles away, so don’t worry about forgetting anything. A dolly works great in lugging heavy boxes. Bring cleaning products for the room — they need a little clean up before everything gets moved in.” — Jane M.

“Bring something to clean the floor (like a Swiffer Wetjet). If you’re moving into The Oaks, it helps to have Clorox wipes to freshen up the bathroom. Also, I remember we had to borrow a screwdriver from someone else, so bring some regular tools for any just-in-case needs.” — Pamela K.

“Buy your box fan ahead of time! Everywhere we went was sold out.” — Jessie L.

“My son lived in Madrigrano and one thing that helped him in the bathrooms was having a hook to hang up his towel up while he showered. Bring flip flops for shower shoes. Get a shower caddy. Bring a box fan — son had a clip-on fan on his bed too. Having a drying rack for clothes also helped.” — Shelly G.

“Invest in a small tool kit to keep in the room. I cannot tell you how often my kids had others borrow screwdrivers, measuring tape, and a hammer. You can get them on Amazon.” — Jennifer J.

“Bring lots of Command Hooks — students use them! We bought an over-the-door, plastic shoe organizer that our daughter used to store things like her hairbrush, perfume, and a lint roller. Be sure you have a couple of power-strips that have long cords. There are not many outlets in the dorms. Also, make sure they keep an overnight bag at school in case they go away for the weekend with friends.” — Holly P.

List of what to bring to campus

What technology to bring to campus

Students and families unpack their cars for move-in. “Don’t buy too much for the room. A lot of it comes back unused.” — Jackie E.

“If you are coming from out of state, things like bedding can be ordered and stored at the local Bed, Bath & Beyond. Then you can pick up when you are in Racine/Kenosha.” — Trudi F.

“Only buy the minimum and get the rest if they need it. We bought so much stuff that he never used.” — Schaya H.

List of what not to bring to campus

Parents say goodbye to their student in the dorm room. “Enjoy it! Take it all in and don’t let them see the tears.” — Jane M.

“I wrote my son a note of all the things I wished for him as he moved through his four years of college. I hid it in his laptop on his desk because I figured he would not use that until the day before classes started. He opened it, read it, and called me. He told me he’s got this and he met some great people. He is a junior now. Your student will grow leaps and bounds in the first month.” — Beth A.

“We left a note of encouragement letting our son know we were proud of him and knew he would have a fantastic college experience! He really liked that! I think that was more important than any material item we may have forgotten.” — Sue T.

“Let your student take the lead in his/her journey to Carthage. Let your student find out all the who, what, where, when, and hows they can. My son graduated in May and is flourishing as a young adult now — with a job and a move to another state. They can do it if you let them! Hope all the new families enjoy Carthage as much as we did the past four years.” — Julie W.