Moving into a new room is always an adventure—one that brings a mix of excitement, curiosity, and a sense of fresh beginnings. My journey of moving from one room to another, from high school all the way through university, was no different. It was filled with bright-eyed optimism and a healthy dose of reality checks. But through it all, I am incredibly grateful for each experience, every move, and all the lessons I learned along the way.
High School Beginnings: Optimism and New Horizons
When I first moved to a boarding school in New England, I was filled with the thrill of living in a new country, eager to explore the world beyond my home in Brazil. Every year, as the school year came to an end, I’d pack up my things with the help of my parents, preparing to return home for the summer. This annual ritual became a cherished part of my life, a time when my family and I came together, reinforcing our bond.
Each year, my father would travel to the USA twice—once in August at the start of the school year and again in May as it ended. My mom would carefully pack my room, placing clothes in big black plastic bags and storing other items in bins. After everything was packed, my dad’s job was to carry and transport the boxes to a nearby storage facility. But, in true dad fashion, he often took a little longer than expected, sneaking in some time at the golf range between tasks. Looking back, these moments still make me smile, as they show how even routine tasks became meaningful when shared with my family.
The Simplicity of Dorm Life: Less is More
Throughout my time at boarding school, I learned to live with less. Since I had to pack up everything at the end of each year, I didn’t have the luxury of accumulating many items or decorating my room extensively. Decorations felt like a waste of space and effort, especially given the strict rules about what we could put up in our rooms. While other students filled their spaces with photos, posters, and mementos, I kept things simple. I focused on the essentials, which, in hindsight, taught me the value of living clutter-free.
Though I occasionally felt a twinge of jealousy seeing other students’ elaborately decorated rooms, I came to appreciate the freedom that came with having fewer belongings. It made each move easier, quicker, and less stressful. Yet, I couldn’t help but wish I had something like a moving storage bag to make the process even smoother. These bags would have been perfect for neatly packing away my things, making transport easy, and then stowing them under the bed until the next move.
University Life: A New Level of Freedom
When I transitioned to university, I experienced a whole new level of freedom. University dorms were much more lenient when it came to decorating, and I was finally able to hang things on the walls and personalize my space a bit more. However, the habit of living with less stuck with me. I still preferred to keep things simple, knowing that at the end of the year, I’d be packing up once again.
My parents continued to help with the annual move, and the routine was much the same as in high school—my mom and I would prepare everything for packing, and my dad would transport the boxes, often with a quick detour to the golf course. These moves became a ritual, a way for us to connect and reflect on the year gone by.
Even though I had more freedom to decorate in university, I maintained the minimalist approach I’d developed over the years. I focused on functionality and simplicity, which made each move easier and allowed me to focus on my studies and experiences rather than the logistics of moving.
Gratitude for the Journey and the Lessons Learned
As I look back on those years of moving from one room to another, I realize how much those experiences have shaped me. Each move taught me valuable lessons in organization, simplicity, and adapting to new environments. It was through these transitions that I learned the importance of being resourceful and making the best out of any situation.
Moving so frequently also made me appreciate the little things—like the satisfaction of a well-packed box or the relief of finding a place for everything in a new space. It reminded me that home isn’t just a place; it’s a feeling you create wherever you are.
If I had one piece of advice for anyone preparing for a move, especially students transitioning between dorms or apartments, it would be to consider using a moving storage bag. These bags would have made my life so much easier, allowing me to pack, transport, and store my belongings with minimal hassle. And once the move was complete, they could be easily tucked away until needed again. If you’re in the midst of your own moving adventures, I highly recommend checking out these moving storage bags on Amazon—they’re a game-changer!
Reflecting on this journey, I see how every move, every challenge, and every new room contributed to my growth. These experiences taught me resilience, the value of simplicity, and how to find comfort in the constant changes life brings. Each room I moved into became more than just a space—it was a chapter in my story, filled with learning, adaptation, and ultimately, gratitude for the journey itself.
