“Cherish This Moment”: An Open Letter to Freshman College Students on Move-In Day

Dear Eager College Kid Moving Into Their Dorm for the First Time,

I see you.

I see you, proudly wearing your school’s respective colors as you smile with eager eyes in front of your loved one’s car. It’s packed to the brim with your new dorm accessories, but there was still enough room to sneak in your favorite blanket or other cherished mementos.

I see you beaming with excitement and anticipation as your first taste of independence becomes more and more real with every poster you hang up.

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I am so excited and happy for you, but I want to tell you a few things before you whisk your loved ones out the door and immerse yourself in your new life. It’s important to cherish this moment, and here are some things to keep in mind.

When your loved one sneaks in one last hug and holds on for a little too long, let them. This is the first time you have “flown the coop”. While it’s a new experience for you, it’s also a new experience for them. It’s a changing period for the entire family, so make sure to hug them right back.

If you’re feeling scared or nervous about the future, you’re not alone. Don’t feel weird for being nervous about leaving your resting place for the last seventeen or so years. You are about to embark on a huge growing period, so be sure to embrace every high and every low, and allow yourself to feel all of those feelings.

And I hate to say it, but your parents are right. This period of your life will go by incredibly fast. Don't worry, I didn't listen to my parents back then either, but I'm here to tell you that it's true. I don't say this to scare you. I say this so you don't do what I did. I didn't soak in the moment of leaving my home and embarking on a new journey of finding who I was outside of being a daughter. Quite frankly, I took it for granted and was too naive to realize the weight of the moment and the impact it would have on my life.

My wish for you is that you take a moment and truly soak in move-in day. Take pictures, not for social media, but for years from now, when you're at your dream job reminiscing on college days and you want to walk down memory lane.

Whether you picked a school on the SouthCoast or shipped off to the West Coast, I am so excited for you and the next chapter of your life.

Enjoy your move-in day! The world just got a lot bigger.

Sincerely,

A University of Rhode Island Alumna, Class of 2015