Hundreds of students and families take advantage of early drop and go move-in at UW-Oshkosh

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh came to life Friday, when hundreds of families made initial trips to campus with their student's possessions to prepare for the start the fall semester.

Called a drop and go move-in, students had the option to drop off items, do initial room set-up and then head back for home for a final week. Traditional move-in is Sept. 6-7, with the first day of classes Wednesday, Sept. 9.

"It's exciting," said Christi Knaak of Franklin, who's daughter, Kalee Knaak, an aspiring sports reporter, is beginning her studies at UW-Oshkosh as a first-year student in the radio TV film program.

Christi and her husband, Tim, were helping get Kalee settled in her second floor dorm. They plan to get familiar with campus as Kalee will be playing safety on the UWO women's flag flootball team in spring. She's following her brothers who both played football in high school and college.

Though they'll have an "empty nest" Christi said they don't feel too sad.

"It's OK. She's ready."

Roommates met on social media, became fast friends

The journey to campus for first-year student Julia Martin and her parents began at 3:30 a.m. Friday, when they left home in New Richmond a little more than four hours from Oshkosh.

By 8 a.m., the group was eating breakfast at the Golden Nest in Oshkosh (dad, Todd, raved about the Lobster Omelette) and a couple hours later, were unloading Julia's possessions onto the grass next to Taylor Hall where she'll be living on the 2nd floor.

Julia said the sonography program drew her to UW-Oshkosh. It was a four-year degree program and it didn't have a wait list.

Julie plans to spend the remaining week of her summer in New Richmond which coincides with her 19th birthday. She was excited to start setting up the dorm with her roommate.

"We met on ZeeMee back in October (2025)," Julie said, explaining that her roommate (who is from Illinois) traveled to Appleton to watch her compete in her high school state powerlifting competition. Julia exceled and competed at state all four of her years.

Each traveled to attend the other's high school graduation and they chatted online for months as they planned for their time at UWO.

Now, the start of their next chapter-their college years-is upon them.

Parents have two students in college

Making the trip from Racine were veteran college movers Sarah and Shane Schneidewind, who were helping move son, Elijah, into a room at Taylor Hall. Elijah, in his third year in the advertising/public relations program, said he will likely switch to marketing this semester. Almost all his classes are at Sage Hall and he said he's excited to get back into the college routine.

Elijah's sister, Amelia, will be a first-year student at UW-Parkside in Kenosha, and she is close enough to commute from home.

"It's interesting," their mom, Sarah said. "They were doing their thing and working this summer and then it just ends and it's time for school to start."

UW-Oshkosh, she said, is great because it's far enough for her son to be on his own, but close enough for him to come home when he wants.

See photos here

Study at UW-Oshkosh