Ohio State students return for fall semester, move-in day now officially move-in week
Clothes. Check.
Cleaning supplies. Check.
TV. Check.
Bulk box of assorted chips and snacks. Check and check.
The Gargasz twins – Joe and Ben – and their mom, Kelli, loaded all of the essentials and the rest of Joe's personal items into three. giant, red rolling bins Monday morning in front of Smith-Steeb Hall. The 19-year-old Ohio State University students from Powell were ready to move back into the dorms to begin their sophomore years.
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"Joe has a lot more stuff than me," Ben said, ribbing his brother.
Joe doesn't deny it. He does love his clothes and sneakers, he said.
The Gargasz twins both lived at Smith-Steeb last year and are happy to be back in the same residence hall this year. (They aren't roommates, but they are a few doors down from each other.)
The brothers were among the approximately 14,000 Ohio State students moving into the residence halls this week. Move-in week will take place over six days from Monday to Saturday, said Dave Isaacs, spokesman for the Office of Student Life.
Ohio State University move-in process modified
Ohio State's move-in period has gone through some changes in the last few years.
In pre-pandemic times, most Ohio State students would move into their residence halls during a two-day period the weekend before classes began. That changed in fall 2020, after the pandemic closed residence halls and halted in-person classes that spring, causing the university's Office of Student Life to reimagine move-in day.
The two-day rush was extended over a 12-day period. Students were assigned an hour-long time slot to limit overcrowding and were only allowed to bring just one or two people with them. University volunteers also wouldn’t help them carry anything to their rooms like in years past.
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As the world changed again in 2021, so did move-in day. The process was modified once more that semester, shortening the move-in period from 12 days to six, and allowing students to sign up for what day and time they wanted to move in.
The process was so popular that the university decided to pivot to the longer move-in period for the foreseeable future. Isaacs said the Student Life staff, as well as students and families, have appreciated the changes.
Of course, the frenzy of a jam-packed move-in weekend is exciting for new students, but it also comes with its stresses.
"It could be a little overwhelming," Isaacs said.
Students moving back into OSU residence halls, preparing for back-to-school activities on campus
Now, with the extended move-in period, students and parents feel like they have more time to settle in, and university departments have more time to ramp up for move-in. It's also allotted more time for the Office of Student Life to do back-to-campus activities through the week with more students around.
They're striking a balance between the energy that comes with a new school year and keeping them calm enough to run smoothly, Isaacs said.
The changes were certainly appreciated by Mark Eckman.
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"Fourth child, first Buckeye, smoothest move-in by far," the father from the Cleveland suburb of Rocky River told Isaacs on his way back into Smith-Steeb Hall.
Eckman had already experienced 11 move-in days among his older three children at University of Notre Dame and Miami University.
"That was so nice that I won't even give you grief about it taking this long for one of your kids to be a Buckeye!" Isaacs replied.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State students return to campus for move-in week
