The ins and outs of off-campus move-in

In this file photo from 2016, Michael Obrien, DMSB’16, and Tim Duchenseau, DMSB’17, move in to off-campus housing on Gainsborough Street. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

Many Northeastern students will be moving into off-campus housing on Friday, Sept. 1. To help ease the stress of the big day, we talked to Rebecca Regan, director of Off Campus Student Services, and compiled this list of tips, recommendations, and useful links.

Be prepared

Before the big day, review Northeastern’s website dedicated exclusively to off-campus move-in. There you will find specific move-in instructions for the Fenway and Mission Hill neighborhoods, tips for being a good neighbor, a helpful guide for understanding your lease, and much more.

According to Off Campus Student Services, more than 60,000 students from various schools will be moving in and out of Boston’s neighborhoods on Friday, creating heavy traffic. Officers from the Boston Police Department and the Northeastern University Police Department will be directing traffic in Mission Hill and Fenway, and some streets will have restricted parking. “Don’t bring large trucks,” Regan advised. “It will be too hard to park.”

Get a parking pass

If you’re moving in or out of off-campus housing in Mission Hill or Fenway, you will need to obtain a temporary parking pass from any of the nearly 50 volunteers who will be walking these neighborhoods in red T-shirts. You will have one hour to load or unload your vehicle, after which you will need to move it to the Columbus Avenue parking garage or to one of the overflow lots in Mission Hill or Fenway.

If you’re moving into an off-campus residence in the Fenway neighborhood, moving bins will be available in the North Lot from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Be a good neighbor

Respect your neighbors. “Be friendly,” Regan said, “and introduce yourself.” Be mindful of their property, keep your noise level low, and ask your landlord how to properly dispose of your trash. “Don’t be dragging furniture across your neighbor’s lawn,” Regan said, “and think about how noise might carry in your new place.”

At the end of September, you will receive a mailing from off-campus student services focused on how to be a good neighbor. As part of the mailing, you will receive a “get to know you” card, which you can fill out and put on your neighbor’s doorknob.

Find an information tent

Information tents will be located outside the Asian American Center at 109 Hemenway St. in the Fenway and at Fitzgerald Park at Tremont and St. Alphonsus streets in Mission Hill. Regan and her colleagues will be on hand to dole out parking passes, give you driving directions, and help you sort out housing issues that might arise. “If you have any concerns,” she said, “come talk to us and we’ll be able to direct you to the appropriate resources.”

Stay connected on social media

Off Campus Student Services will be particularly active on social media throughout the day on Sept. 1. Follow the office on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get live updates, and tweet @NUoffcampus using #NUmoveinSept1 to join the conversation.

You can also follow Northeastern’s official social media accounts, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.

App it up!

Before you move, download the city of Boston’s BOS:311 app. Use it to report non-emergencies to City Hall, including problems with your off-campus housing, broken streetlights, and potholes in the sidewalk.