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August 12 Weekly Update: Move-In Guide

Bottom Line Up Front:

  • ACTION NEEDED: 180 new students are not immunization compliant; we need ALL families to ensure their student checks the Deacon Health portal ASAP
  • Clarification on Parent and Family Orientation schedule vs. student Orientation schedule
  • Tips before you pack
  • Steps to Move-In
    • Important note about driving to the LJVM Coliseum (2825 University Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC 27105) for move-in
    • Student checks in at the LJVM Coliseum on their assigned day:
      • Thursday, Aug. 14 (Marching Band only): 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
      • Friday, Aug. 15 (Wilderness to Wake only): 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
      • Saturday, Aug. 16 (all other Pre-Orientation programs): 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
      • Tuesday, Aug. 19 (all new international students not participating in a Pre-Orientation program) 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
      • Wednesday, Aug. 20 (all new and transfer students not doing Pre-Orientation): 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
    • Drive to campus
    • Unpack your car
    • Help arrange your student’s room (if applicable)
  • Reception for families with students doing a Pre-Orientation program: Saturday, Aug. 16, 4 -5 p.m.
  • Orientation activities for students and families Wednesday, Aug. 20-Thursday, Aug. 21
  • Meal plans become active on Wednesday, Aug. 20; important Pre-Orientation meal plan info
  • Emotions you may be experiencing as move-in approaches

Dear parents and families of incoming students,

This is our final Weekly Update before move-in begins for students doing Pre-Orientation programs. Apologies up front, it will be a bit of a long message today: we cover our Move-In Guide, as well as how to prepare emotionally for move-in and for the first month of school with your new Deac away from home.

ACTION NEEDED: 180 new students are not immunization compliant; we need ALL families to ensure their student checks the Deacon Health portal ASAP

P’29s, we have an urgent situation on our hands and I need everyone’s full attention. We have 180 new students who have not have not correctly completed (or have not completed at all) their immunization requirements. This is serious stuff: it will prevent students from being allowed to get their room keys, move in, and attend Orientation.

In most cases, your student THINKS they submitted everything already, and even though our friends from Deacon Health have been reaching out to these 180 students, the students assume the emails do not apply to them and so they ignore the emails. 

I need EVERY family to ask their ‘29s to log in to Deacon Health and check their Secure Messages in the portal TODAY to make sure they don’t have messages saying they are noncompliant. If they find they are noncompliant, they need to fix the issue ASAP.

Normally our philosophy is to tell families to let the students be in charge of their affairs. And if  this was a lower stakes administrative issue, I’d agree with that approach. But believe me, you do not wish to start move-in with your child being told they cannot get their keys.

I have been bitten in the past by thinking “this can’t be my child – my kiddo would have followed the directions correctly” only to discover:

So please, ask your students to log in to their Deacon Health portal now, today, and check their secure messages.

Clarification on Parent and Family Orientation schedule vs. student Orientation schedule

As Orientation approaches, we want to remind parents and families that we have two tracks for Orientation: sessions meant for families, and sessions meant for students. Most of the time, our sessions are student-only or family-only. So as you consider what you might wish to attend for Family Orientation, you should be looking at the family track to make your choices, as your students will almost certainly be attending student-only functions.

Additional things families should be considering/doing:

Move-In Guide

As we get ready for the start of school, we wanted to share some logistical information with new families (P’29s 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 Residence Life and Housing.

Tips before you pack

  • Be sustainable! As you prepare to move to your new home in just a few weeks, check out these quick tips for a sustainable move-in. As fellow Deacs, we live and breathe our values of making the world a better place for all of its inhabitants. After all, without Pro Humanitate, there’s no humanitate! We encourage families to break down cardboard boxes and use the recycling stations located outside near residence halls.
  • Label your student’s belongings: 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.
  • 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.

Steps to Move-In

Important note about driving to the Lawrence Joel Veterans’ Memorial (LJVM) Coliseum (2825 University Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC 27105) for student check-in

Due to local construction, some of the roads around the Coliseum have detours; see the access map:

  • If you are coming to the LJVM Coliseum from campus/University Parkway southbound, follow the existing detour signs and routes that direct you to turn left onto Reynolds Blvd., then eventually right onto Shorefair Drive. From there, you can either turn onto Deacon Blvd. and enter the lot that way, or circle back onto 27th St./Coliseum to go back towards the main entrance to the LJVM parking lots.
  • If you are coming to the LJVM Coliseum from downtown Winston-Salem, do not follow the detour signs directed towards Deacon Blvd from that direction; instead, use the Main parking lot entrance to LJVM via University Parkway.

1. Student checks in at LJVM Coliseum (2825 University Parkway, Winston Salem, NC 27105)

  • All new students will report to the LJVM Coliseum to check in. Look for signs on the sidewalk to direct your student to the appropriate line to begin check-in.
  • Your student must be physically present to check in and have a photo ID (e.g., passport, driver’s license); families cannot check in for their students. 
  • Parking at the LJVM Coliseum is plentiful. Parking at/on the curb – even temporarily – is not allowed.
  • Check-in times at the LJVM Coliseum vary by move-in day:
    • Thursday, Aug. 14 (Marching Band only): 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
    • Friday, Aug. 15 (Wilderness to Wake only): 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
    • Saturday, Aug. 16 (all other Pre-Orientation programs): 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
      • Note that there will be a coffee truck for those who wish to purchase a beverage; cash and cards are accepted. They will be at the LJVM Coliseum from 8:30-11:30 a.m.
    • Tuesday, Aug. 19 (all new international students not participating in a Pre-Orientation program) 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
    • Wednesday, Aug. 20 (all students not doing Pre-Orientation): 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
      • We ask students to review their suggested move-in timeframe on the Housing Portal. 
      • Note that there will be a coffee truck for those who wish to purchase a beverage; cash and cards are accepted from 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
    • NOTE: If your student is unable to make it to campus by the time check-in closes on their assigned day, they should submit a Fall 2025 Late Arrival Form. After Hours Check In will be available from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. only. If your student will arrive after 10 p.m., you will need to make alternative off-campus arrangements (e.g., a hotel) for them until the following day.
  • Your student will follow signage at the LJVM Coliseum to get in line, then go in the coliseum’s front entrance to check in so they can get their Deacon OneCard (student ID), room key for move-in, and a personal recycling tote.
    • Families are kindly asked not to follow your student to the check-in line, in order to keep the lines short.
    • Families can, of course, enter to use the restrooms; look for the sign on the side of the coliseum closest to University Boulevard indicating “Restrooms”.
  • During check-in, your student will receive a move-in parking pass. They should write their last name, cell phone number, and room # on the pass.
  • Place the move-in parking pass in clear view in the front of your vehicle’s dashboard.
    • Note: If you are moving your student in partially for Pre-Orientation and then coming back with the rest of their belongings on general move-in day (Weds., Aug. 20), please be sure to keep the move-in parking pass with your car.

2. Drive to campus

  • Drive from the LJVM Coliseum to campus and use the University Parkway entrance (or if you do not have your car, you can take the LJVM Shuttle; see below).
  • Shuttle Service
    • Thursday, Aug. 14 and Friday, Aug. 15 – an on-call shuttle will be available from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. from the LJVM Coliseum to the Shuttle Hub. Students can call 336-391-0272 to request a ride.
    • Saturday, Aug. 16 – The shuttle will run on a 30-minute loop from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., departing from the LJVM Coliseum at the top of the hour (:00) and 30 minutes past the hour.
    • Tuesday, Aug. 19 – The shuttle will run on a 30-minute loop from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., departing from the LJVM at the top of the hour (:00) and 30 minutes past the hour.
    • Wednesday, Aug. 20 – The shuttle will run on a 30-minute loop from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m., departing from the LJVM at the top of the hour (:00) and 30 minutes past the hour.
  • For those arriving on Saturday, Aug. 16 and Wednesday, Aug. 20, for Move-In:
    • Follow the instructions of traffic and police officers to find your student’s residence hall. Please be patient, as there may be traffic and/or wait times.
    • 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).
  • For those arriving on Thursday, Aug. 14 and Friday, Aug. 15
    • As our numbers of students moving in are smaller these two days, there will not be posted traffic officers to direct you on campus, so please follow all signs and observe proper traffic flow.

3. Unpack your car

  • Your student should unlock their room, and you should begin unloading their belongings curbside. Someone must stay with your vehicle at all times. Note that you will only be parked curbside while your vehicle is being unloaded. Once your vehicle is unloaded, you will drive to one of our parking lots designated for “General Parking” (see map) and walk back to your student’s hall. Drivers are kindly asked not to block parking spaces.
  • Move-In Assistance (i.e., volunteers to help carry belongings to your student’s room) will be available on the following days/times:
    • Saturday, Aug. 16 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
      • Move-In Assistance Volunteers will have carts that Wake Forest staff and official volunteers will use to move your student’s belongings to their room. If you wish to bring your own foldable wagons or other carts, you are welcome to.
    • Tuesday, Aug. 19 (all new international students not participating in a Pre-Orientation program)
      • Assistance for international students will be available to help you navigate to your residence hall from the University’s shuttle hub from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 
      • Staff will not be available to carry your luggage or belongings into the residence hall. 
    • Wednesday, Aug. 20 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
      • Move-In Assistance Volunteers will have carts that Wake Forest staff and official volunteers will use to move your student’s belongings to their room. If you wish to bring your own foldable wagons or other carts, you are welcome to.
  • NOTE: If your family arrives after the posted Move-In Assistance hours with volunteer movers (or when Move-In Assistance is unavailable), the family will need to move in all belongings. You may wish to bring foldable wagons or other carts with you in this case.

4. Help arrange your student’s room (if applicable):

  • 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.
  • If your student’s roommate does not move in on the same day as your student, please be sure your student keeps their roommate’s side of the room clear and clean.
  • Important note: For the safety of our community, access to residence halls is controlled by students’ Deacon OneCard. Families are not able to access the residence halls without their student, as our community entries are card-controlled for residents only. Students may not give their DeaconOne card or room key to their families or other move-in helpers.
  • If you do not finish unloading your student’s belongings by the time they have to report to their first Pre-Orientation or Orientation activity, you can work with your student on when they will have a break in their schedule and can meet you at their hall to move remaining items in.
  • So that beds are adjusted correctly and to deter potential damages to university furnishings, should your student need to adjust the height at which the springs sit within the head and foot board, please have your student request to have the bed adjusted. Wake Forest Facilities staff will respond and adjust the bed.
  • Any issues with the furniture provided in your student’s space should be notated on their room condition report, and a work order submitted for evaluation by our Facilities team.

Reception for families with students doing a Pre-Orientation program: Saturday, Aug. 16, 4-5 p.m.

We will have a welcome reception on Saturday, Aug. 16, at 4 p.m. in the Sutton Center Upper Gym (#21 on this map). This allows families with students participating in Pre-Orientation to connect and meet Wake Forest staff, particularly if they cannot attend Parent and Family Orientation on August 20-21 (which is optional but encouraged for those still in town).

  • Dress is casual. No RSVP required.
  • There will be brief remarks around 4:30 p.m. from University representatives. Following the short program, please feel free to speak to individual staff members if you have specific questions. 

Orientation activities for students and families August 20-21

  • Students and families have two different tracks for Orientation. This is intentional, as it helps students meet their new hallmates and classmates, enabling them to form connections beyond their family.
  • Dress is casual for all Parent and Family Orientation events. We know you are moving in and making a ton of trips to Target, etc. So come as you are and be comfortable.
  • We ask families to respect the students’ Orientation schedule and avoid planning family meals or other activities during times when students have required activities.
  • The Orientation schedule is available via the Guidebook app. Go to your APP or Google Play store and search “WFU Orientation Programs” to access the New Deac Welcome Week 2025 guide and view the schedule for families.
  • To see student activities, choose the SCHEDULE BY TRACKS option, then select  First Year or Transfer track as applicable.

Meal plans become active on Wednesday, Aug. 20; important Pre-Orientation meal info.

  • Students’ meal plans become active on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
  • If your student is participating in a Pre-Orientation program, the program will provide meals.
    • Important note: If your student wants to get additional snacks/drinks during their free time away from the program, they will need to bring cash or a debit card to purchase those.
  • For families on campus August 20-21, you can use the Menu and Hours link on the Dining website to see what is open on a given day/time. You can also see local dining recommendations from other Wake Forest families.

Emotions you might be experiencing as move-in approaches

  • Two years ago, my husband and I moved our first/only child into college. Although I have dispensed move-in advice for college families for most of my career, I can tell you it hit different when it was my child!
  • The family dynamics and emotions of move-in are very real, and different students and families react in different ways. Here are some things to be aware of and prepare for:
    • Your student may act a little differently – they might be excited, or nervous, or trying to put on a brave face, or they may want to act independently in getting all the business of preparing for college taken care of. You might feel like they are distancing themselves from you – or the opposite, they are more clingy. Every student handles the hustle and bustle of the college transition differently. Be there with a supportive hug when needed, and let your student have their distance when needed.
    • You might feel sadness or anxiety at the prospect of letting them go (or, conversely, guilt that you are not feeling terribly sad).
      • If you are worried about leaving them at college, remember that you have done this before: you left them at daycare or kindergarten. You left them at camp. You left them with a babysitter, or with grandparents/family, to go on a vacation without them. You let them drive off in the car that first time. Think back through all those micro-goodbyes and remind yourself that you lived through 100% of those goodbyes. That’s not to say it won’t be sad; it probably will be. But if you can, focus on the fact that our children are supposed to grow ever more independent, and college is one step in that journey.
      • No matter how prepared you think you are, you might have some last-minute panic. Even though I thought I was ready (and I knew our child was ready), my emotions hit hard as it came time to say goodbye (confession: I ugly cried for most of the 1.5-hour drive home). However you react, it’s OK. Be gentle with yourself.
      • And if you are not feeling as sad as you think you should be, give yourself permission to feel what you feel. There is no right or wrong way to feel as you send your student off to college – there’s only what’s right for you. You may be looking forward to having more time and space to yourself, or taking on new projects or opportunities as an empty nester. And that’s OK!!
  • Pro tip for the soon-to-be empty nesters: the best advice I got for my child’s move-in was to plan something really, really fun for your first night home in an empty nest. Don’t make it a ‘go to a movie’ kind of event where you can still be in your own head. Make it something interactive, with other adult friends, or your younger kids, etc.

    We ended up going out to dinner with three couples (two of whom had college-aged kids and knew what we were going through). We ate and drank, laughed a lot, and cried (ok, mostly me), but it was exactly the balm I needed to feel better. When I got back to our house after dinner, I was happy, not depressed. 10/10 recommend this approach.

A final note about Parent and Family Orientation: all family activities end by 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21st. Families should plan to leave Thursday night or Friday morning, as 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. You departing once Orientation ends will help your students adjust more quickly to their new environment.

We hope this is a helpful guide to Move-in, and we look forward to welcoming you to campus very soon!

Zach Blackmon, Ph.D., MBA
Director of Operations Residence Life and Housing

Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (‘92, MA ‘94)
Executive Director of Family Communications

Cherise James, Ph.D.
Director of Orientation, New Student and Transition Programs

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