Move-In Day is the pinnacle of the college experience. It’s the day that you both look forward to and dread… Finally leaving home, and, well, leaving home. You’re starting over in a new city and a new school, with new people, new classes, new food, and a new room, which you’re sharing with someone you barely know. It can be downright scary. For years you’ve been telling yourself how ready you are to be done with high school and to be independent; but when it actually happens, you realize this wish has two-sides: the good and the scary.

For me, what I worried about most with moving into college was being alone. After all, my family was there for a couple hours to help me move in, and then all of a sudden, the people I love most in the world left! But at Samford, as cliché as it sounds, you are never really alone. Between the hall resident assistant (RA), other students, your roommates/hall-mates, and the Samford staff, there is always someone there to help you out.

One of the funniest parts of Move-In Day is trying to fit everything in the car (unless you’re one of those people who rent a U-Haul… not judging…). My uncle and I spent hours trying to get everything to fit into my Isuzu Rodeo, and only after it was completely packed did it occur to me that some poor soul was going to have to unload all of it! I’m not going to lie, I was worried about people unpacking all of my valued possessions from my car like a game of Jenga and carrying them up flights of stairs to my room.

Luckily, the Move-In Day volunteers are pros. I was expecting to wait in line for hours to even be able to unload my stuff, but I was blown away by how quickly and smoothly everything went. We pulled up, waited for all of ten minutes, and then I was able to go inside to sign in. By the time I came out 15 minutes later, my stuff was all unloaded on the grass. And within 15 more minutes, all of my things were in my room, all there, and all in one piece. It was amazing! All I had to do was unpack.

The other cool thing was that the staff was not only super efficient, they were also super excited to help me. Samford may not be the only school that helps you move-in, but I can’t think of any school that does it more efficiently and in such a great atmosphere!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Move-In Day, but I can say that any fears I had were unfounded and my expectations were far surpassed! Probably the hardest part was saying good-bye to family, but it becomes so much easier in knowing that at Samford, you are never alone. It may sound cheesy, but it is a lot easier knowing my nearest family members live an hour and a half away from campus.

I can honestly say that Move-In Day is one of the highlights of my Samford experience so far. It was a day I anticipated for months, and it really reassured me that I made the right choice by coming toSamford. It was an amazing moment when, after months of waiting, I was finally able to say “I’m home.”