Moving in and out of student housing can be stressful, but residential education directors say there are ways to make the transition to new living spaces easier.

Nhi Tran, RED of Orton and McEachern Halls, said it is important for people to make rooms move-in ready before they leave.

“The biggest thing students need to remember when they’re ready to move out is make sure everything is out of the room, making it move-in ready,” Tran said. “And then they can check out at the front desk.”

For students moving out in fall semester, it’s important they cancel their housing contract online, Tran said. She said every hall will have bulletin boards with detailed steps for how to move out posted on each floor, to help residents understand the process.

When moving into student housing, Tran’s advice is to read the housing contract thoroughly.

“The biggest thing to know is when the start date is on your contract,” Tran said.

Students are not typically allowed to move into their dorms or student apartments until the contract starts. However, they can request special permission for an early move-in directly from WSU Housing if they need to, Tran said.

REDs can answer simple questions about housing contracts, Tran said. The housing office can help with more specific questions, and all WSU contract and policy information can be found online at the WSU Housing and Residence Life website.

For students who want to live in the residence halls as a resident adviser, applications are online at the Residence Life employees and recruitment page on CougSync. Applications close Jan. 28 and there are roughly 160 RA positions to be filled on campus, Tran said.

Tran also recommended using the rate estimator in the WSU Housing contract website. She said it’s a helpful tool to see the cost of living in different halls or student apartments.

“The WSU Housing website is a great resource for students who have any questions,” Tran said.

Every hall has storage space for students who need it, she said. However, students can only store items in a hall they are returning to or moving into next break or semester.

“We don’t allow large items like furniture,” Tran said, “but if you have a box of clothes or appliances we can put it in there.”

For those looking to move into on-campus apartments, applications open Feb. 1. Students who want to move rooms or halls should email their RED to get put on the waitlist, Tran said, because it’s first-come first-served. In special cases, students are placed higher on the list if they have issues with their current roommate, Tran said.

“We try to accommodate the students the best we can with what they need and what they want,” she said. “Here at WSU, we want to make sure that students are comfortable in their spaces.”