Moving out for the holidays is an easy task! Since most students are returning to their same room, you don’t have to pack up your entire room, but there are a couple of things to do prior to departing from campus for winter break and holiday fun.
- Pack anything you may need over break and take it with you (resident return for Spring Semester doesn’t start until January 6, 2023, and lasts until January 16, 2023)
- Make sure your trash has been taken out
- Unplug your appliances
- Check-out on the SMU Housing portal
- Keep your key with you – you will need it to get back into your room in the spring
Residential Assistants (RAs) are available to answer any specific questions residents may have during this time. RAs will also be holding floor closing meetings in to help guide students to make sure they move out in the correct way. These meetings will be held throughout November.
Some tips I recommend after going through winter break move-out last year:
- Take home most of your summer clothes, because you likely will not need them for the Spring Semester. But make sure you still have a variety of clothing left on-campus because Texas weather is always changing.
- Don’t bring your whole wardrobe home if you have clothes at your house already.
- Campus closes for the entirety of winter break, so when in doubt, take it home.
- Make a list throughout these last few weeks of everything you haven’t used all semester and everything you forgot at your house to make sure you can swap out the unused items for what you missed.
- When you move back in during the Spring semester, you will still be living in a small dorm room, so don’t go crazy when you are bringing back things from your house. Your family can always mail anything you have forgotten at home.
I also recommend not worrying about packing until your last exam has finished if you have a packed exam schedule. If you have some free time between exams or need a study break, start organizing your stuff while watching your favorite show or movie. Try not to stress out too much about moving out because SMU makes it easy.
The SMU campus closes for winter break. Winter break is considered to be December 15, 2022 through January 6, 2023. How does this impact your on-campus housing?
- Residents living in the Residential Commons, Perkins, Smith, Service House, and 3050 SMU Blvd are expected to move out 24 hours after their last final or by Thursday, December 15 at 10AM, whichever comes first.
- Residents of Martin, Moore and Thomas House may live in their apartment over Break, provided the resident registers their stay with RLSH using the SMU Housing Portal.
- Residents that are graduating in December are able to stay on campus until 10AM December 18, 2022.
If you need to reside on-campus during winter break, you can submit a request for Winter Break housing on the SMU Housing Portal by November 30. In order to qualify for Winter Break housing, you must have a continuing assignment for the Spring semester. Requests will be reviewed, and residents will be notified within 2 business days of the request. If the request is approved, you will be able to reside in your room during winter break. Residents who are specifically looking for January Term housing during their Jan Term class (January 2-16, 2023) can request housing on SMU’s Housing Portal by Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at 5PM. In order to be approved, residents must be enrolled in a Jan Term course and be a continuing resident.
Good luck with your finals, and I hope you have a smooth Mustang Move-Out!