Move-In Email Archive

Email: Wednesday, June 10

Hokies — the Campus Countdown for the class of 2030 starts this June! Follow along with our interactive email series this summer to prepare for on-campus living and win Hokie-themed merch.

Each Campus Countdown email will include helpful videos, links, and resources about the Residential Experience to help you prepare for your move to campus life. Keep reading to learn more and take the survey in this email for your first entry!

If you have ever wondered what happens when you lock yourself out of your residence hall or worried about roommate disagreements, this email series is for you.

Here's How it Works

• Each week, you will receive an email covering important topics related to on-campus living at your vt.edu email address.
• Read our helpful Hokie Hints, then fill out the survey attached to the email to earn one entry into the giveaway.
• You earn one entry for each email survey completed.
• Winners choose their prizes on a first-come basis, starting with participants who complete the most surveys.

The Residential Experience

At Virginia Tech, our priority is to ensure every student that calls our campus home has the best experience possible.

We have four offices dedicated to YOUR on-campus Residential Experience. Each office has a specialized function, from work orders to mental health, designed to help you. Learn more about these offices on Instagram or click the links above for contact information.

At Virginia Tech, the Residential Experience includes:

• Housing Services.
• Residential Well-being.
• Student Affairs Facilities and Operations.
• Living-Learning Programs.

Get Ready to Move-in and Win

Do these four things to prep for move-in and learn more about the Campus Countdown

• Complete your New Student Checklist, the essential incoming Hokie to-do list, at the link below. Have you checked off all the steps?
• Check your vt.edu email often — housing deadlines, Campus Countdown updates, and tips for living on-campus at VT
• Get to know FERPA: You’re in charge of your records now! FERPA is a federal law that says only you (the student) can decide who has access to your info. Want someone to have access or communicate with VT for you? You’ll need to set them up with permissions. Look under “June” on the Checklist for more info!
• Follow @vtresidential on Instagram to stay informed about your on-campus experience

Email: Sunday, June 14

Hey Hokie!

It is time for New Student Room Selection - the process through which YOU select your on-campus home!

Almost all Virginia Tech students choose their own residence hall and room, with a few exceptions covered below. Keep reading for:

• Room selection tips, with or without a roommate group.
• How to select you and your preferred roommate living together.
• Text and video walkthroughs for room and roommate selection.
• How to handle housing accommodation requests.

Take the survey in this email to earn another entry into our summer giveaway series!

Your Room Selection Timeslot

Your time slot is the exact day and time you will select the building/room you’ll live in and your roommate using the StarRez Portal. Time slots are given based on the order in which students signed their housing contracts and cannot be changed.

• Check your vt.edu email address regularly — that is where you will receive your time slot.
• The email will also state the deadline for you to choose your room. If you miss the deadline, you will be manually placed!
• If you cannot find the email, you can also see your time slot in the StarRez Portal.

Room Selection and Roommate Group Tutorials

There are text and video tutorials with step-by-step instructions on selecting a room and creating a roommate group! It is highly recommended that you review these materials before your room selection time slot.

• Selecting a room during your room selection time slot - Short video to see how to assign your room to yourself and, if you are in a roommate group, your roommate.
• Creating a roommate group in StarRez - Short video - Do you have an idea of who you would like to live with next year? If you're wondering how to make sure that happens, this is the video for you!

Once you (or the group leader of your roommate group) completes the steps in the walkthrough and selects a room, you are finished with the process and cannot make changes. The assignment is set and can only be changed by the Housing Services office.

Roommate Groups and Room Selection

Planning to live with a friend this fall? Follow these steps to make sure you end up in the same room!

A roommate group, which can only include two people, allows two students to go through room selection together.

• Make sure your roommate group is created and verified in the StarRez Portal — unverified groups won’t be pulled into the same room. If you change group leadership, reverify.
• The roommate with the earlier room selection time slot should be the leader!
• Only the group leader can make the room selection and the other roommate should not login.
• When the time slot opens, log into the StarRez Portal to select.

Living-Learning Communities

• When searching for roommates, if you are not in an LLC, leave the LLC roommate questions on “any.”
• If you are in an LLC, select “yes.” If you are in an LLC, your roommate must be in the same LLC.
• Our system cannot pull one student in the LLC and one student who is not in the LLC to a roommate group.
• LLCs have specific buildings/rooms designated for them. Only LLC students can be in those rooms.
• If your LLC has houses, roommates must be in the same house.

Groups Not Selecting their Own Room

Some students will not select their own room. Check your vt.edu email for more info.

• Students who sign their housing contract late in the process/close to the deadline.
• Students who get a time slot and don’t select a room during it.
• Members of the Corps of Cadets.
• Athletes on the Athletics Roster.
• Students whose SSD accommodations require specific placements.

Consider disability-related and access needs

• Housing Services does not accept or review medical documentation.
• If you used a 504 plan, IEP, or accommodations at your previous school and are interested in using accommodations at Virginia Tech, submit your academic request here and/or your housing accommodation request(s) with Services for Students with Disabilities.

Helpful Hokie Resources

• Complete your New Student Checklist, the essential incoming Hokie to-do list. Have you checked off all the steps?
• Check your vt.edu email each week for more on-campus life tips, important housing information, and chances to win our summer giveaway!
• Get to know FERPA: You’re in charge of your records now! FERPA is a federal law that says only you (the student) can decide who has access to your info. Want someone to have access or communicate with VT for you? You’ll need to set them up with permissions. Look under “June” on the Checklist for more info!
• Follow @vtresidential on Instagram to stay informed about your on-campus experience.

Email: Tuesday, June 23

Hey Hokie! Do you have your packing list ready for fall ‘26 move in?

Keep reading for our Hokie Hints on what you ACTUALLY need to bring to campus (and a few things you can’t), or watch a short video about packing.

Don’t forget to take the short survey linked in this email to earn your entry, and follow us on Instagram @vtresidential for more info.

Download Our Official Packing List

What to bring, what to leave at home? Download and print our check-off packing list to start your on-campus journey strong.

Leave These Items at Home

Save yourself some packing space and leave these items at home. The following items violate Virginia Tech housing policy.

You will have a MicroFridge and a microwave provided in your room.

• You are not permitted to bring additional microwaves or refrigerators with you.
• You are responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of these items in your room.

E-scooters and other transportation devices powered by lithium-ion batteries cannot be stored or charged on campus.

• As a fire safety precaution and to remain compliant with university Policy 5005, these devices are not permitted inside any university buildings.
• While they may be secured at outdoor bike racks, charging these devices on campus, whether indoors or outdoors, is also strictly prohibited.
• Should any prohibited items be found within university buildings, the matter may be referred to Student Conduct for further action. If you have questions, learn more about Policy 5005.

Other items to leave at home include:

• Any open-coiled appliance
• Air conditioners
• Candles
• Electric blankets
• Electric stoves
• Grills
• Plug-in air fresheners
• Space heaters
• Toasters
• Ovens
• Hot plates
• Halogen lamps
• 3D printers

Virginia Tech Mail Services

Shipping packages to campus? Love online shopping? Here’s what you need to know about campus mail.

• If you are mailing packages to yourself before move-in, please plan for them to arrive no earlier than the week of August 03 to help manage the increased volume during that time.
• Move-in is BUSY for Mail Services, so processing delays are more likely. Pack essentials for your first two weeks, shop local when you arrive, and order early.
• You’ll receive an email once your package arrives. It’s important to pick it up ASAP.
• For best results, use the Campus Mail Portal to track your packages and always use your proper residence hall address.
• Packages with incomplete addresses are refused and handed back to the carrier as they arrive.
• Packages with incorrect address information are held in a “Mystery” area. Students can claim them by submitting their tracking number in the Portal.
• For more details and address formatting tips, visit the Mail Services website.

Personalize your Residence Hall

Make your residence hall room feel like home with these specialized room items.

Our office of Residential Well-being has long-standing partnerships with vendors who offer specialized room items for students living in Virginia Tech's residence hall rooms.

• College Savers builds wooden hutches and furniture to increase your storage space. Rent or buy from College Savers here.
• LoftSteps builds add-on treads that make climbing into lofted beds more comfortable. Buy LoftSteps for your room.
• DormCo offers bedding and essentials packages for VT students. Get your laundry bag, blankets, and towels all in one place.

Helpful Hokie Resources

• Complete your New Student Checklist, the essential incoming Hokie to-do list. Have you checked off all the steps?
• Check your vt.edu email each week for more on-campus life tips, important housing information, and chances to win our summer giveaway.
• Get to know FERPA: You’re in charge of your records now. FERPA is a federal law that says only you (the student) can decide who has access to your info. Want someone to have access or communicate with VT for you? You’ll need to set them up with permissions. Look under “June” on the Checklist for more info.

• Follow @vtresidential on Instagram to stay informed about your on-campus experience

Email: Monday, June 29

Hey Hokie!

Are you ready to earn a giveaway entry and learn more about life at Virginia Tech?

Life on campus comes with many changes, and getting a roommate or two is a big one! Check out our Hokie Hints on how to live with a roommate below, or watch a quick reel about roommate relationships by Hokies for Hokies.

Don’t forget to take the short survey linked in this email to earn your entry, and follow us on Instagram @vtresidential for more info! See past Campus Countdown emails on our website.

Living with Roommates can be Amazing...

We know it can be challenging to share a small living space, a bathroom facility, and more with another person.

BUT — it's also an important part of the college experience and can lead to close friendships that last beyond your time at Virginia Tech. Here are our top tips for making the most of your roommate experience.

1. Discuss Schedules
• What are your preferred sleep and study schedules? When will you be at class or work?
2. Respect Privacy and Belongings
• What items can be shared? What are your individual needs regarding privacy?
3. Discuss Guests
• When will guests be allowed in the room?
4. Keep it Clean
• How will you work together to keep your space clean? What chores will be done and how often?
5. Plan for Communication and Compromise
• How will you handle conflict? Discuss concerns as soon as they arise and plan for compromise. If you and your roommate cannot reach an agreement after discussing your concerns with each other, contact your Student Leader (SL).
• Key Topics to Discuss
• What time do you wake up? Are you a light sleeper? Do you take naps?
• Will we share personal belongings? Are some things off limits?
• Will we schedule quiet times for studying or sleeping?
• How do you study best (e.g., music, silence, privacy)?
• How frequently can guests visit?
• How clean do you expect the room to be?
• How will we bring up disagreement?

What is an SL?

Watch a quick reel from our Student Leaders here.

Student Leaders, also commonly referred to as an SLs, are innovative and adaptable student leaders assigned to residential halls to promote the well-being and safety of the students. These staff members are trained to help mediate a situation and find a solution before making a room change.

Your experience at VT starts with you and what you put into it! Looking for more tips on living in a residence hall community? Check out our webpage on Hokie Living here.

Helpful Hokie Resources

• Complete your New Student Checklist, the essential incoming Hokie to-do list. Have you checked off all the steps?
• Check your vt.edu email each week for more on-campus life tips, important housing information, and chances to win our summer giveaway!
• Get to know FERPA: You’re in charge of your records now! FERPA is a federal law that says only you (the student) can decide who has access to your info. Want someone to have access or communicate with VT for you? You’ll need to set them up with permissions. Look under “June” on the Checklist for more info.
• Follow @vtresidential on Instagram to stay informed about your on-campus experience.

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