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It’s summer! Well, nearly. It’s May, which means that summer is so close you can smell it. Finals are nearing, too, and you’ve probably got so much caffeine in your body that you’ve become super jittery. Or is that just me?

If you have been living on-campus this semester, this means it’s check-out time. This is an incredibly happy and sad time. It’s bittersweet because you are finally over with school but are also moving away from all your new friends. It can also be a stressful time but, if you follow these tips for an easy check-out, it certainly doesn’t have to be!

Pack.

If you haven’t already started packing, now is the time to do so. Take it from someone who has packed, cleaned, and checked out of a room all by noon that it is not fun to do at the last minute. But you are also studying for finals, so use packing as a study break. It works perfectly; not only do you get up and moving around but you also get an extra activity accomplished. Success! Even if you just pack for 15 minute intervals, the work will still get done before move-out time.

Clean.

Cleaning is super important. You want to make sure that all of your stuff is out of your room and that you’ve at least taken a wet cloth to most surfaces. You really need to vacuum and, if you have one, clean your bathroom, too. The resident assistant/counselor/advisor who checks you out will be looking at all these places, so you want to make sure they are clean. Plus, some schools charge for a clean-up, and you certainly don’t want any extra charges. School’s expensive enough as is, thank you very much.

Organize.

Make sure you have your keys and any access cards that you need for your building. If you don’t know where they are, find them! Those keys and cards get expensive, and you don’t want to be charged for a replacement. Have them ready to go when you check-out, as you will be asked to give them back, even if you are staying in the same building. Also, make sure your forwarding address is correct. You want to make sure that you are getting all essential mail. Take back any textbooks that you won’t be keeping and return any books that you have from the library. You don’t want to have to explain that you accidentally packed a book up with all of your other belongings, even if the librarian is super understanding. I’m not saying I know this from experience, but I’m not saying I don’t.

Stay Calm.

It’s easy to get stressed during this time, but remember that you are already, or nearly, done with finals and you have a whole summer of fun laid out ahead of you. Cherish this time and don’t let check-out wreck your feel-good summer vibe. And lay off the coffee; as much as it pains me to say, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. This I do know from experience.

We want to know how you prepare for check-out! Share with me @ana_berkovich and tag #UChic to share tips or leave us a comment below. Want more inspiration? Visit UChic on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TUMBLR