Get Ready to Find Out Where You'll Live!

At Columbia, you'll encounter new ideas, experiences and perspectives, while building friendships that will last a lifetime. This will happen in the classroom, along College Walk and in your residence halls — your home away from home. Look out for your housing assignment on Friday, June 29!

Tips for Living on Campus

Whether you are placed in a Carman double, share bathrooms or lounge space in John Jay, Furnald or Wallach, or live in a suite in Hartley, you'll learn the importance of community and responsibility. Check out these tips to get ready for your move to campus and videos that will introduce you to our first-year residence halls.

Tip #1: Plan What You'll Pack and What You'll Ship Visit Countdown to Columbia’s "Moving In" page for help on key items to bring, New York City's weather conditions, seasonal clothing and shipping to campus. Remember to bring with you what you’ll need during the first few weeks of school because shipped items may not be available immediately upon your arrival.
Tip #2: Look Into Campus Refrigerator Rentals and Sales​ Consider renting a refrigerator-microwave combination unit through Columbia Housing and MicroFridge. (Note: Other than MicroFridge, microwaves are prohibited in rooms.) You can also purchase refrigerators that meet the size requirement at the University Bookstore or the EcoReps’ Green Sale.
Tip #3: Learn About Laundry Facilities Use energy-efficient laundry facilities, which are available in each residence hall at no charge to undergraduates! You can check machine availability and cycle time left with our monitoring service, LaundryView, when you are connected to Columbia Wi-Fi.
Tip #4: Insure Your Belongings Before Arrival Insure your items through your preferred vendor if your belongings are not already insured through a parent or guardian’s homeowner’s policy. The University assumes no responsibility for the loss or damage of students’ property while residing in Columbia Housing.
Tip #5: Bond with Your Residential Community and Get Housing Help When You Need It If you're looking to have adventures and meet new people, check out Residential Life programs when you arrive. And if you need any help with housing (maintenance and custodial requests, moving bin loans, keys and locks), Columbia Housing staffs a Hospitality Desk in the lobby of Hartley Hall — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Photo credit: Michael Edmonson CC’20/Columbia College