Why do college students move every year

Well it's off again on the college road trip this week end. This is the pick up trip. I don't like this leg of the trip any better than the first leg to drop off. Well, I like this piece 'cuz my babies will be home again, even though it's for a short while. What I dislike is the packing, the cleaning, the hauling AND after driving 4 and 5 hours, I have 2 kids in the system, I have to haul, lift, pack and then gear up for a full house. Don't get me wrong, I don't think I will ever be tired of the full house. I am still not ready to let go yet, it's just the exhaustion of the on campus off campus exercise every year. Fortunately my schools have a different start and end schedule so I get a few weeks in between this exercise.

I am still puzzled as to why we go through this exercise, from scratch every year. I never understood or appreciated having to move out of my dorm at the end of the year eventhough I would return in a few weeks. Now after all those years and 5 years into my children's time in college, I still can't appreciate it.

I know that it is easier to clean and upgrade the space when it is empty. I know that programs are organized in cohorts and some other configurations that makes it more managable or ideal for the schools. It is also true that some kids like to move in with new friends or find a room they may like better etc, but can some of you experts in campus housing and planning come up with a way of minimizing this mass hauling exercise every year?
My legs will thank you. My back will thank you. My pocket book and my psyche will thank you.

I appreciate having the ability to store the stuff on the campus, well we were afforded this courtesy by one of the schools because we live so far away. Our other school, which is even further away doesn't offer this option. There are loads of facilities available with various offerings to haul and store for the summer. That's good! It's the mandatory hauling of the stuff out of the dorms that is the issue here! Yes, make the kids clean up, get rid of the excesses and thrash, pack up and secure their stuff so that floors etc can get cleaned but why do we have to move.

Do you know how may trips I've had to make up and down from the fourth or fifth floor? We've been lucky with the assignments you see. Yeah, yeah, you guessed it! There are no lifts, or elevators, or dumb waiters - unless you want to call us parents that - to get the things up or down. I really feel for some of these 'little kids' hauling all those big boxes, refrigerators and all their stuffs up and down the stairs.

What is the point really? To give a sense of beginning each year? Is this a motivating strategy to turn the page for the New Year? Is it the responsiblity for students belongings in their absence (not really 'cuz we store there) or is it just fueling a cottage industry?

Doing the back to school shopping, getting new decorations, fresh linens etc., is fine. After all we do that anyway with spring cleaning, summer refresher, fall set up and so on. We will still do those shopping junkets because we want to ensure the comfort of our chilidren while they are away from home. Believe me we will still spend too much as usual to get them settled in. Just don't make us move till we're done.

So my week-end will be spent working, plying the I-95 North and South, recuperating and reorganizing my family life. This Memorial Day weekend I will give thanks to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and ask God to grant them eternal rest. For those of you who will share the highway with me this weekend, for the same reason, take heart the years go by fast. Stay fit and practice good body mechanics for those lifts. Be safe and enjoy the family. If anyone has found some solace or answer to this enigma, do share with me. I still have a few more years to go here, maybe I will be able to appreciate it.

My sincere gratitude to our men and women in uniform and wish all of you the very best.