Dear incoming parents and families,
As we get ready for the start of school, we wanted to share some logistical information with new families (P’26s and transfers) about what to expect for new student move-in. Please be sure your student follows the move-in instructions sent to them via email by the Office of Residence Life and Housing.
There are three different potential move-in dates/processes, based on your student’s circumstances (skip ahead to the date that corresponds to your student’s move-in):
August 12 by 4 pm: students approved to participate in Marching Band, Wilderness to Wake, or WakeWell
Step 1 – Start the check in process at the Wellbeing Center (#21 on this map).
- Park in Lot W1 (refer to this map to locate) and then follow the signs to check in. You will have a short walk up the hill and will make a left at the intersection to access the Wellbeing Center.
- Enter the main doors at the front of the building via the large steps.
- Check in will be available from 9 am to 4 pm. Your student must be present with a photo ID (e.g., passport, drivers license) to check in; families cannot check in for their students.
- The Living Room (i.e., main lobby) of the Wellbeing Center is where your student will get their room key, DeaconOne Card (student ID), mailbox key, parking pass (if they purchased one), and a personal recycling tote.
- After check in, your student can return to your car and drive to their residence hall and begin moving in.
Step 2 – Bring your student’s belongings to their room
- You can park nearest your student’s residence hall in one of the lots on this map or on the street, if spaces are available. Please observe all applicable parking regulations (e.g., fire lanes, no parking zones, handicapped parking spaces, etc.).
- You and your family will unpack your student’s belongings from your car and bring them to their residence hall room. The front doors to all buildings are card locked; your student will need their Deacon OneCard to open the doors.
- Because there is such a wide range of student arrival times at different buildings, we regret that we cannot offer move-in assistance such as staff to help carry or carts/wagons. Families who wish to have carts or wagons for move-in should bring their own for move-in.
Step 3 – Unpack and help arrange your student’s room (if applicable):
- Note that you may have time to help your student get settled, up until they need to report to their first Pre-Orientation activity.
- Important note: families are not able to access the residence halls without their student, as our community entries are card-controlled. Students may not give their ID card or room key to families.
- If you do not finish unloading your student’s belongings at the time they have to report to their first Pre-Orientation activity, you will have to work with your student on when they will have a break in their schedule and can help you move remaining items in.
- As space is limited in each room, it may be helpful to give your student (or their roommate and their family, if they are there at the same time) some space as they unpack.
- It may be helpful to have some basic tools with you (rubber mallet, hammer, screwdriver, etc.), as some students purchase shelving units or other things that require assembly.
Step 4 – Ensure your student reports to their Pre-Orientation program on time:
- Start times are determined by each Pre-Orientation program. Your student should check any communications from their program for appropriate details.
Step 5 – Attend the Family Welcome Reception at 4 pm in the Wellbeing Center (#21 on this map) Living Room, where your student checked in (optional but encouraged)
- We will have a welcome reception so that families coming for Pre-Orientation can meet each other and meet Wake Forest staff. There will be brief remarks around 4:40 pm from University representatives. Dress is casual. Following the brief program, please feel free to speak to individual staff members if you have specific questions.
- We know many families have already RSVPd for this reception, and we are trying to avoid duplicate RSVPs. If you have confirmed that someone in your family has not already RSVPd for your family, please RSVP to attend the August 12 reception.
And a note about Dining on campus: use the Menu and Hours link on the Dining website to see what is open on a given day/time.
August 14 by 4 pm: students approved to participate in any other Pre-Orientation program
Step 1 – Start the check in process at the Wellbeing Center (#21 on this map).
- Park in Lot W1 (refer to this map to locate) and then follow the signs to check in. You will have a short walk up the hill and will make a left at the intersection to access the Wellbeing Center.
- Enter the main doors at the front of the building via the large steps.
- Check in will be available from 9 am to 4 pm. Your student must be present with a photo ID (e.g., passport, drivers license) to check in; families cannot check in for their students.
- The Living Room (i.e., main lobby) of the Wellbeing Center is where your student will get their room key, DeaconOne Card (student ID), mailbox key, parking pass (if they purchased one), and a personal recycling tote.
- After check in, your student can return to your car and drive to their residence hall and begin moving in.
Step 2 – Bring your student’s belongings to their room
- You can park nearest your student’s residence hall in one of the lots on this map or on the street, if spaces are available. Please observe all applicable parking regulations (e.g., fire lanes, no parking zones, handicapped parking spaces, etc.).
- You and your family will unpack your student’s belongings from your car and bring them to their residence hall room. The front doors to all buildings are card locked; your student will need their Deacon OneCard to open the doors.
- Because there is such a wide range of student arrival times at different buildings, we regret that we cannot offer move-in assistance such as staff to help carry or carts/wagons. Families who wish to have carts or wagons for move-in should bring their own for move-in.
Step 3 – Unpack and help arrange your student’s room (if applicable):
- Note that you may have time to help your student get settled, up until they need to report to their first Pre-Orientation activity.
- Important note: families are not able to access the residence halls without their student, as our community entries are card-controlled. Students may not give their ID card or room key to families.
- If you do not finish unloading your student’s belongings at the time they have to report to their first Pre-Orientation activity, you will have to work with your student on when they will have a break in their schedule and can help you move remaining items in.
- As space is limited in each room, it may be helpful to give your student (or their roommate and their family, if they are there at the same time) some space as they unpack.
- It may be helpful to have some basic tools with you (rubber mallet, hammer, screwdriver, etc.), as some students purchase shelving units or other things that require assembly.
Step 4 – Ensure your student reports to their Pre-Orientation program on time:
- Start times are determined by each Pre-Orientation program. Your student should check any communications from their program for appropriate details.
Step 5 – Attend the Family Welcome Reception at 4 pm in the Wellbeing Center (#21 on this map) Living Room, where your student checked in (optional but encouraged)
- We will have a welcome reception so that families coming for Pre-Orientation can meet each other and meet Wake Forest staff. There will be brief remarks around 4:40 pm from University representatives. Dress is casual. Following the brief program, please feel free to speak to individual staff members if you have specific questions.
- We know many families have already RSVPd for this reception, and we are trying to avoid duplicate RSVPs. ONLY if you have confirmed that someone in your family has not already RSVPd for your family, please RSVP to attend the August 14 reception if you plan to attend.
And a note about Dining on campus: use the Menu and Hours link on the Dining website to see what is open on a given day/time.
August 17 by 4 pm: all other new ‘26 and transfer students
Step 1 – Start the check in process at the Lawrence Joel Memorial Veterans Coliseum:
- Your student will report to the Lawrence Joel Memorial Veterans Coliseum (LJVM, aka The Joel), at 2825 University Parkway, Winston Salem, NC 27105 no earlier than 15 minutes prior to their move-in time. See suggested move-in times via the Incoming Students section of this website.
- Parking at the Joel is plentiful. Students and families are asked to park in the Pepsi Parking Lot. Parking at/on the curb – even temporarily – is not allowed.
- Your student will go in the coliseum’s front entrance and follow the signs to check in so they can get their room key, DeaconOne Card (student ID), mailbox key, parking pass (if they purchased one), a parking pass for move-in, and a personal recycling tote.
- We ask families not to follow your student to the check in line, just to keep the lines from being too long. (You can of course enter to use the restrooms and then rejoin your student outside).
- We ask families not to follow your student to the check in line, just to keep the lines from being too long. (You can of course enter to use the restrooms and then rejoin your student outside).
- Once your student has checked in at the Joel, they will write their cell phone # on the move-in parking pass, circle their building name, and place the pass in clear view in the front of your vehicle’s dashboard; you will then drive to campus. You can drive onto campus through any campus entrance.
Step 2 – Drive to your student’s residence hall:
- Traffic and police officers will be posted to help direct you to your student’s residence hall. Please be patient, as there will be traffic and some wait times likely.
- When you drive up curbside to your student’s residence hall, you’ll be guided as to where to park (either by a traffic/police officer or Wake staff with a gold or black name tag).
- Your student should go unlock their room, and you should begin unloading their belongings curbside. Someone must stay with your vehicle at all times, as you will only be curbside as your car is unloaded.
- Staff will have a whiteboard they can use to write your student’s room number, making any belongings unpacked on the curb easily identifiable.
- Pro tip: put a sticker with your student’s name, residence hall name, and room number on each box/piece of luggage, just in case any boxes or luggage are accidentally moved to a different room. This allows staff to easily see to which room/building it should be sent.
- Pro tip: put a sticker with your student’s name, residence hall name, and room number on each box/piece of luggage, just in case any boxes or luggage are accidentally moved to a different room. This allows staff to easily see to which room/building it should be sent.
- When all belongings are unloaded, volunteers will help carry your student’s things to their room,* and you will be instructed to drive to one of our parking lots and walk back to your student’s residence hall (see diagram for parking lots and walking paths to the residence halls; click to enlarge).
* Note: move-in assistance is available only until 2 pm; after that, the family will move in all belongings.
Step 3 – Unpack and help arrange your student’s room (if applicable):
- Note that you have all day to help your student get settled if needed.
- As space is limited in each room, it may be helpful to give your student (or their roommate and their family, if they are there at the same time) some space as they unpack.
- It may be helpful to have some basic tools with you (rubber mallet, hammer, screwdriver, etc.), as some students purchase shelving units or other things that require assembly.
- Important note: Families are not able to access the residence halls without their student, as our community entries are card-controlled. Students may not give their ID card or room key to families.
If you do not finish unloading your student’s belongings at the time they have to report to their first Orientation activity, you will have to work with your student on when they will have a break in their schedule and can help you move remaining items in.
Step 4 – Visit the Campus Services and Info Day Fair from 11 am to 5 pm (strongly encouraged)
- Students and families are encouraged to go to the lower Sutton Center Gym C204 (#21 on this map) to see representatives from offices across the University, including Student Financial Services, Campus Life, Information Systems, and the Office of Family Engagement.
- Staff will be available at tables to tell students about the services they offer and answer questions that students or families may have.
Step 5 – Attend mandatory Orientation activities (students) and optional-but-highly-recommended Orientation activities for families
- Students and families have two different tracks for their Orientation. This is deliberate, as it helps students meet their new hallmates and classmates so they begin making connections, as opposed to staying just with their family.
- We ask families to respect the students’ Orientation schedule and not plan meals or other activities in times where students have required activities.
- The Orientation schedule is available via the Guidebook app (take a picture of the QR code below and you will get a link to the guide). Choose the SCHEDULE BY TRACKS option, then select Parents & Families (which will show you the activities meant for you), or the First Year or Transfer track as applicable (which shows what your students will be doing)
And a note about dining on campus August 17-18: Here is a list of dining venues that will be open.
All parent and family activities end by 8 pm on Thursday, August 18th. Families should plan to leave once family Orientation events have ended, as their students will be involved in their own Orientation activities, and should be spending time bonding with their new hallmates and classmates and making social connections.
We hope this is a helpful guide to move-in, and we look forward to welcoming you to campus very soon!
Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (‘92, MA ‘94)
Executive Director of Family Communications