College Survival: Air and Road Travel, Moving to College

Hello readers, it is time to talk about tips when traveling to an out of state school. Last week we talked about the changes you will meet when going to a southern school as an out of stater. This time we will talk about tips for travelling to school. First Kara will talk about her experiences moving from Florida to Alabama.  

Moving From FL to AL 

I grew up in Florida and moving away from home was hard for me. Though I wasn’t moving too far, it was still far enough that I was going to miss home. I wanted to share my biggest tips for moving, that helped me.   

For those that live far away, it is necessary to ship most of your items. As someone from Florida, traveling to Tuscaloosa, AL felt like a far move, considering all of my rush items, dorm essentials, and year-round clothing I wanted to bring with me. 

I would highly recommend it if you are coming from far away to ship your stuff to your college. You can normally ship directly to the school’s mail center, or you can ship boxes to a local UPS store. This is costly, but it will save you time and the struggle of bringing things on a plane or car ride. Trust me, it is worth it. But if you don’t want to do that or need to bring things with you, I suggest using IKEA bags to move.  

 Having IKEA bags was essential, as they held most of my rush clothes. I used duct tape around the bags so it would not rip, and I would have a variety of bags: The rush bag, clothing, and dorm essentials. These bags are sturdy enough, cheap, and have great straps. Bags are also sometimes easier to move in, compared to storage boxes. Boxes are awkward to carry and hard to fit in places.  

So remember don’t be ashamed to ship your stuff to school and make sure to have IKEA bags. These two tips saved me. I want to also share a list of tips that helped me survive the plane rides: 

• Bring headphones 
• Bring snacks 
• Bring a refillable water bottle  
• Bring a book or activity 
• Download movies and shows 
• Bring a neck pillow 
• Book your flight early 
• Download your boarding passes to your phone 
• Check in early 
• Check your bags online 
• Get TSA pre check  
• Use student discounts for air travel 
• Pack light 
• Backpack is a great carry on 
• Pay Attention to flight boards 

Maybe one of these tips will save you on your next flight. As long as you don’t miss your flight, you’ll be good. Just stay alert and keep your eye on the prize… making it to your destination.  

Now Sierra will share her tips on traveling from a state that is within driving distance. These will save you on a long road trip.  

Car Trips to College 

Driving to college as an out-of-state student is a unique experience. My drive from Georgia to Tuscaloosa is only about 4 hours, which isn’t bad. In my experience it is important to make sure you consider the space in your car when deciding what to bring. Especially when you live further away it limits the number of trips you want to make bringing stuff back and forth. I would also say it’s nice to have a road trip playlist as well as your favorite snacks.  

I mostly use my suitcases, duffel bags and bins to transport stuff. I would say it’s best to save any big items to purchase when you get to your destination to save space. Also remember to look into storage units for storing your things during the summer especially when you’re first moving from a dorm into an apartment. A storage unit can also help you to have somewhere to put things if you have a short time to move out of a place. Sometimes your parents won’t be able to come when the dorms close for the summer, so it may be easier to store your stuff and have them help you later. I highly recommend out of state students to use local storage units, mine came in handy.  

Now I will share a list of useful tips for driving: 

• Plan your route in advance 
• Consider traffic  
• Have rest stop knowledge  
• Keep Important Documents accessible (License, registration, wallet) 
• Pack a Roadside Emergency Kit 
• Bring Snacks  
• Don’t Forget Water 
• Share your progress with friends and family  
• Stay vigilant when stopping 
• Bring paper towels  
• Make a playlist 
• Stop when you get tired  
• Take your time  
• Drive Safe 

Hopefully that list of tips will better prepare you for your road trip to college. Please remember to drive responsibly and keep your phone out of your hands. Arriving safely is your number one concern. 

With those driving and flying tips you should be ready to move to college. Don’t be scared you will be fine, just come back to this blog if you need help feeling ready. College will be the best four years of your life, so go where you want even if it requires flying or driving far. Stay safe out there and don’t forget your phone charger. XOXO College Survival Team.