 Welcome to Purdue FAQ's Boilermakers Respond. I'm your host, Erin Anderson. Today, we're talking to Becca about moving in. If you're anything like us, Purdue is going to be like a second home to you. So today, we're digging into university residences, moving in, and all things campus housing. Tell us a little bit about you, Becca, and your experiences with moving in. Yeah, so I'm a freshman this year, so I moved in, and it was actually really easy. I spent about 10, 15 minutes getting all my stuff into my room, and after that, it was just decorating, setting up, and then going around and meeting all my friends. I also currently give tours of the residence halls, so I take perspective and admitted students into the residence halls, show them a showroom. So I have a lot of experience with that. That's awesome. What are the advantages of living in university residences? Yeah, so there are a lot of advantages of living in university residences, especially as an incoming freshman. It's a great way to meet people. You're literally living in a building with a couple hundred other produced students, so it's a great way to meet people and hang out. You're also on campus, so it's an easy walk to all of your classes. You don't have to worry about transportation, and you also don't have to worry about cooking because you'll be on a meal plan. So many great opportunities there. What will be in my room when I move in? When you move in, there'll be a bed, a mattress, a desk, that desk comes with a lamp and a chair, and then there'll also be a dresser. In your room, you'll also have access to Wi-Fi and power outlets. What should I bring with me? Yeah, so you'll want to start with the basics. Make sure you bring clothes, school supplies, all that fun stuff. In addition, make sure you bring linens and sheets for your bed, bring a pillow, any blankets you want, bring towels, and then a laundry basket. All the essentials. What are some things that new students don't think of that they should bring? Yeah, so something that was super helpful for me was a shower caddy. It just made it really easy to transport everything to the bathroom. Also, some sort of air freshener that you can plug into your wall, and then also lots of plastic organizers. Is there anything I'm not allowed to bring with me? Yeah, so anything that's a fire hazard you'll want to keep at home. Purdue Housing has a full list of all the appliances that are and aren't allowed on their website, but things like hot plates, candles, open flames are not allowed. You also can't bring your own AC unit, but you can bring a fan, and then any pets will have to stay home but fish and plants are welcome. What's one thing that you brought with you that you regret? I honestly think I just brought way too many clothes. I brought a lot of things that I didn't wear, so I'd say if you don't currently wear something, you're probably not gonna wear it when you come to college, so maybe leave it at home. How can I make my space feel like my own? I think one big thing is personalizing it, so putting up photos of yourself with friends and family, it'll make it feel a bit more like home. Also, a rug on the floor can really open up the space, especially in a smaller room, and also just decorating to your heart's desire, tapestries, lights, fun posters will make it feel really unique. Definitely, decorations are always a must. How can I get a lofted bed? Yeah, so Purdue makes it super easy. We go through a third-party source called Bed Loft. You'll get all that information on the housing portal, but through Bed Loft, you can loft your bed. You can also rent a mini fridge or microwave, and you can buy a futon. They do cost extra, but it's really convenient. If you do it ahead of time, then all of that stuff will be in your room when you arrive. Awesome. How will I do laundry when living in university residences? Each residence hall has their own laundry room. You'll pay for it through an account called Boiler Express, and you upload money online, and then use your Purdue ID to pay. It's really convenient because it's right there in your residence hall. Any laundry tips for first-timers? I'd say if you don't already know how to do your laundry, definitely try a couple times before you come to campus, but my biggest tip is make sure you separate your lights from your darks. Also, using detergent pods is super easy because you can just pop it in the machine. Also, make sure you're being consider of others when you're doing your laundry. Don't leave your laundry sitting there for too long. Not only does it take up a machine, but also your clothes will get wrinkled. That's great advice. What are the food options on campus? Purdue has so many different dining options on campus. We have dining courts, restaurants, and retail locations. If you want all the juicy details on meal plans and dining, then you can watch our episode on dining. That's a great episode. Becca, what's your best advice for moving in smoothly? I'd say try not to stress. Move in Day probably won't go exactly how you imagined, and that's okay. Also, be social, open your doors, try to meet the people on your floor. It's a great way to make friends and make Purdue feel a bit more like home. That's great advice. Thank you so much for joining us today on this episode of Purdue FAQ's Boilermakers Respond. And thanks again, Becca, for being our guests today. Hey, Boilermakers and Boilermakers, to be what other questions do you have about life at Purdue? Tell us in the comments below. Be sure to follow Purdue University for more episodes. See you next time. Boiler up.