Getting Started in Your New Home
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Welcome to Humboldt! This guide is designed to help as you move in to the residence halls. On this page is information concerning the moving-in process and other helpful ideas to get you started on your way to a successful year at HSU.
Opening and Check-In:
The residence halls will open for the year at 7:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 20, 2013. Anyone checking into the residence halls will have an assigned check-in time. Arriving prior to your check-in time is not advised and you will be asked to wait for your scheduled time. Check-in will take place in the Jolly Giant Commons as outlined below.
You will need to bring a valid photo ID to check-in.
Please leave all of your belongings in your car. Once you have gone through the check-in process, you will be directed to your specific hall. During check-in, you can expect to receive the ResLife and You Handbook, your mailbox and locked drawer keys, room access card, and a room condition card.
Check-in Schedule
Each student will have an assigned check-in time block. We will be sending out a survey in mid June, asking each student to rank the three most desired check-in time and days. We will try to accommodate everyone's request and will communicate assigned check-in times in early July.
If you are a first time freshman, please plan on checking in on Tuesday, August 20 between 7am and 6pm. Housing will be holding Welcome Meetings with your residence hall community, HOP leaders and RAMP mentors on Tuesday evening at 7pm to kick off the orientation events and we want you there!
| Day | Hours of Check-In | Location: Jolly Giant Commons |
|---|---|---|
| Tues, August 20 | 7am - 11pm (residents will have assigned check-in times during this period | 1st Floor, Recreation Room |
| Wed - Sun, Aug 21 - 25 | 9am - 10pm | 1st Floor, Recreation Room |
| Mon, August 26 | 8am - 5pm | 2nd Floor, Housing Office |
| 5pm - 10pm | 1st Floor, Recreation Room |
Moving into the residence halls can be hectic with many students checking in at once. Many of you will have driven several hours to get here and the journey can be filled with mixed emotions and high anxiety. Planning ahead can help all to reduce the stress of the day and help all of us have a more pleasurable move-in experience. Some tips we suggest:
- Be sure you know what your check-in day and time is and plan your travel accordingly.
- Make sure you bring a valid photo ID into check-in.
- Do not go directly to the unloading zone near the building before checking-in. You will not have access to your room until you check-in and obtain the room access card.
- Please be respectful of our unloading areas near the buildings. We ask that you take a maximum of 20 minutes to unload your car and move it to the parking lot when completed. Do NOT plan to set up the room before relocating your car. It will make those that follow you more frustrated and could result in a parking ticket.
- Please be aware that we do have to close the unloading lanes periodically during check-in to allow the garbage and recycling trucks to come through and empty the bins.
- Don't wait until you arrive to eat. Dining services may not be available depending on the time you arrive. Take time to stop, take a break from the drive and get something to eat. There are several options in town as well.
What You Need To Bring.
Student rooms are furnished with an extra long (regular length in Creekview and some Campus Apartment rooms) twin bed, desk, chair, dresser, wastebasket and mattress pad for each student. All rooms are carpeted. We suggest that you bring all of the special items that will make your new home feel like home but you can't bring everything! Some of the basic items you might want to add to your list are: blankets, linens, pillows, towels, posters and pictures, alarm clock (you don't want to be late for class!), stereo/radio (headphones are helpful!), telephone or cell phone (your family wants to hear from you!); computer, study lamp, flashlight (in case of power outage) and laundry supplies (yes, you have to do laundry!). You might also want to bring a coffee pot, bicycle, iron, a plastic bucket/container for toiletries and any other personal items you may need. You can bring a television but, if not, Sunset, Redwood, and Canyon have TV lounges in each building. There are also large screen TV's in the Creekside Lounge, the College Creek Great Hall and the Jolly Giant Commons Recreation Room.
If you live in the Campus Apartments, all beds are extra long twin beds except for the following:
- Double rooms 1-16, 25-32, 40-47 on the A2 or B1 side have standard twin beds.
- Double rooms 17-24, 33-39, 48-55 on the A1 or B2 side have standard twin beds.
The extra long mattresses measure approximately 34" wide by 78"-80" long by 6" thick.
Restricted Items:
Cooking appliances such as electric frying pans, crockpots, hot plates, toasters, toaster ovens, woks, etc. may not be used in rooms. Residents may not have birds, warm-blooded or poisonous pets at any time in the residence halls. Cold-blooded reptiles, amphibians or fish are allowed provided they are adequately contained in an aquarium/container no larger than 10 gallons. Each resident is allowed one 10 gallon aquarium with the exception being in a triple room where only a total of two aquariums/containers would be allowed. The fish/reptile/amphibian must adequately fit in the aquarium/container as prescribed by a professional able to determine such matters (pet store owner, scientist, etc.). You must consult with your roommate prior to bringing the pet to address any concerns your roommate might express.
Bicycle Storage:
Bicycles may be kept in your room or in approved storage areas in each of the living complexes. Bicycles may not be stored in common areas or stairwells.
Telephone Service and Cable TV Service:
Telephone service is provided by AT&T. It is your responsibility to contact AT&T for installation. They have established a special telephone number for university students to call to set up service. This number is 1-877-722-6787 (1-877-7CAMPUS). In addition, AT&T has a website where you can request phone service. The web address is www.att.com. Request new service and enter your address as your room number, building name and use the word "Hall" after your building name (for example, 1025 Redwood Hall). Enter Arcata as the city and the zip code is 95521. This should work for all areas with the exception of the Campus Apartments. The entry for the Campus Apartments is your mailing address plus the apartment number (for example, 335 Laurel Ave, 17A). It is helpful to contact AT&T before you arrive on campus to arrange to have your phone connected on a particular day. If you wait until you arrive it can be a number of days before your phone is installed.
Cable TV is available through Suddenlink Communications in all areas. You can contact Suddenlink Communications at 1-877-443-3127.
Bed Loft, MicroFridge and Personal In-Room Safe Rentals:
These items are available for rent through Collegiate Concepts, Inc. (Bed lofts are only available if you live in Redwood, Sunset or Cypress.) Contact them at 1-888-929-0806 or www.collegefridge.com to arrange for this service. If you would like your bed lofted but live in the Canyon or College Creek, please call our Housing Office at 1.707.826.3451 to request this service. Sorry, beds in Creekview cannot be lofted. Beds in the Campus Apartment double rooms are already lofted. Lofts cannot be ordered for triple rooms in any area, as most are already lofted.
Shipping Belongings Before You Arrive:
You may wish to ship items in advance such as trunks, luggage, boxes, and bicycles (UPS delivers directly to the Jolly Giant Commons). You may do so by addressing them to your address listed in the room assignment email. We do ask that you wait to ship the items until August 1, when we are able to aside additional storage for packages to arrive for opening.
Do NOT put "Humboldt State University" on your shipped items as it will delay the routing of your package. Items shipped to us prior to the opening of the residence halls will be stored on the second floor of the Jolly Giant Commons. We will have the Mailroom staffed each day so you can plan on picking up your packages when you arrive.
Transportation and Parking:
We highly encourage new Humboldt students, especially freshmen, not to bring a car to HSU for their first year. Zipcar for Universities is now at HSU! For more information visit http://www.zipcar.com/humboldtstate/ . There is also subsidized local bus service, weekend special shuttle service to Eureka from the residence halls and downtown Arcata is a short 15 minute walk away from campus.
Should you decide to bring a car, it is important to know that parking may be a problem on campus, particularly near the residence halls. Even though special resident permits are required for cars using lots near the residence halls (Monday, 7:00 a.m.-Friday, 5:00 p.m.), buying a parking permit will not guarantee you a spot to park.
How To Get Here:
Air or bus travelers:
The airport you would fly into is called the Eureka-Arcata Airport which is located in McKinleyville, about 10 minutes north of Arcata. You will need to secure transportation from the airport. Cab and shuttle service are available. The bus stop in Arcata is at 925 E Street. It is about a 15-minute walk from the bus stop to campus.
By car:
From the North: Take Highway 101 to the Sunset Avenue Exit. After exiting make a left on Sunset (east). At the next stop sign make a left onto LK Wood Boulevard (north). Take the first right onto Granite Avenue (east). Check-in is on the first level of the Jolly Giant Commons (the three story cement and glass building directly ahead).
From the South: Take Highway 101 to the 14th Street/Humboldt State University Exit, stay in the left hand lane. After stopping at the end of the exit ramp, continue straight ahead onto LK Wood Boulevard. Continue north (approximately ½ mile) on LK Wood Boulevard to Granite Avenue. Turn right onto Granite (east). Check-in is on the first level of the Jolly Giant Commons (the three story cement and glass building directly ahead).
From the East:: Take Highway 299 to Highway 101. Take 101 South/Arcata-Eureka Exit. Continue on Highway 101 South approximately one mile to the Sunset Avenue/Humboldt State University Exit. After exiting make a left on Sunset (east). At the next stop sign, make a left onto LK Wood Boulevard (north). Take the first right onto Granite Avenue (east). Check-in is on the first level of the Jolly Giant Commons (the three story cement and glass building directly ahead).
Frequently Asked Questions + Informational Links
Still wondering about moving into the halls? Check out the answers to our Frequently Asked Questions. If, after reading this section, you still have questions, don't hesitate to call the HSU Housing Office at (707) 826-3451 or email us at housing@humboldt.edu.
The following links have further information you may be interested in:
ResNet (Residence Hall Internet Services) www.humboldt.edu/resnet
National Student Services Personal Property Insurance www.nssi.com