As the students at our Madison area universities can attest to, college is an incredible time. It’s a time to try new things, meet new people, and learn about both your school work and yourself. But college isn’t all fun and games. There is one time of the year that every student dreads—one time when the fun ends and the real work begins. Is it studying for finals? Is it the clean up after that big party? No, Madison, it’s Move Out Day!
On August 14th, most of the leases on the apartments and houses near the UW campus will expire, and thousands of students will be packing their bags and hitting the streets. All the packing, cleaning, heavy lifting, lack of parking, and August heat combine to make one miserable day. Many graduates will be leaving town, but for those with more school, the fun doesn’t end there. Once move out ends, the Night of the Homeless begins. Property managers rush to assess their units before new residents move in on the 15th, leaving everyone else on the streets in the mean time. Students have all day and night with all their possession and nowhere to put them. Many camp out in their tightly packed cars, and those who can afford it might opt to get hotel rooms.
I am pleased to tell you that there is another option on move out night! Bethel Lutheran Church is offering to help students stuck in between leases with an event properly titled Bridge the Gap. It runs from August 14th at 8:00 p.m. to the 15th at 7 a.m. at 312 Wisconsin Ave. Parking will be available, the lot will be monitored, pizza and games will be provided, and there will even be breakfast in the morning. Sounds like everything a student could wish for! Students of all religious beliefs are welcome, and the only thing needed is a student ID. If you have questions or would like to volunteer or donate, please contact Pastor Sarah at sarah@bethel-madison.org or call (608) 257-3577 x332.
As you can imagine, there are a lot of items that get tossed on the curbside on the 14th, most of it destined for the dump. The United Way, St. Vincent de Paul, the City of Madison, the University, and the Dumpster Diving Revolution are all teaming up to help make sure any quality, reusable items make their way into good hands. Clean clothes, furniture, nonperishable food, and household items can be donated at three sites in the campus-area neighborhoods on the 12th, 13th, and 14th. For information on locations and collection times, please click here.
As for nonstudent Madison residents, I would like to suggest you avoid driving into the campus on Move Out Day! With all the traffic and chaos, it might be a good idea to avoid biking as well. But if you can get to campus by foot, it is quite a sight to see all the students, packed cars, and overall commotion. And if you run into a student who just walked down several flights of stairs carrying bags that weigh more than they do, don’t be afraid to lend a helping hand.
~ Gilbert the Green Guy
