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MACOMB, ILL. -- College students at Western Illinois University will hit the books a week from Monday.

This Saturday, most of the incoming class will turn the key to their new rooms at Thompson and Tanner Halls. For those of you moving into dorms for the first time, you should know what items to bring and those you shouldn't.

"We'll see parents and students bring everything, like uHauls and TVs, and we ask that you try to be conservative or moderate in your packing. Remember the dorm rooms are about 11 by 15 feet. Sometimes we see a huge 60" TV that comes in, a little overstated in some sense," said AJ Lutz, WIU's complex director. "We'll also see futons come in. That's fun seeing how they manage to get them in."

Housing staff will be watching out for safety hazards such as candles and space heaters which will automatically be sent back home. Students aren't permitted to bring their own mattresses due to the dorm's limited space.

Remember most freshmen will share a community bathroom.

"Students will want to bring shower shoes, shower caddies, things that they don't think about when they take a shower at home, that they'll want to bring when they come here," said Lutz.

And don't forget to bring some decorations to personalize your room.

"It's a new adventure and that's for both the student and the parents. One thing we ask you keep in mind on move-in day is patience. There will be long lines for the elevators and carts but if you have patience, we'll get you in pretty quickly. There's a ton of stuff to do on that first saturday night, so be ready to move in and have fun after that," said Lutz.

Take a look at some of these site before you leave for school!

Residence Hall Room & Damage Policies

Decorating your room

Hey parents!  Are you sending your kid back to school?  Tell us about packing, hauling stuff, your emotions and more on our Facebook page here ... we want to hear from you!