Move-in is here, UNM students are returning to campus for fall 2026

Beginning Thursday, Aug. 13, through Saturday, Aug. 15, the fall hustle and bustle is returning to the campus community as excitement builds during the annual residence hall move-in days, with students arriving back on campus.

This annual event signals that the fall semester is just around the corner. Classes begin next Monday, Aug. 17, and this week the campus is coming alive with the energy of a new academic year.

Students' move-in day is assigned by their dorm, and the schedule is posted on the Student Housing website.

The energy of these days is palpable and felt by all; it's best described as organized chaos, enveloping each person in a welcoming vibe and a sense of immediate community. Onlookers will watch students and parents make many trips from the car to the room, roommates meeting for the first time, RAs welcoming residents and the Residence Life and Student Housing (RLSH) staff spread across campus helping people settle on their first day in the dorms.

This is the time of year that RLSH staff look forward to the most. Most of their year is spent planning, repairing, cleaning, hiring, training, assigning rooms, answering questions, solving problems and preparing for students' arrival in August. This week is when all of that work becomes real, and it is hard not to get swept up in the excitement of it all.

"One minute a building feels quiet and empty, and a few hours later it feels like a community again," said Megan Chibanga, executive director of Resident Life and Student Housing. "I never get tired of that transformation. I love watching our residence halls come back to life."

Move-in days are supported by multiple campus partners who volunteer their time to help each student find resources and move their belongings into the residence hall. In many cases, becoming the first point of contact.

This year, the Sustainability Office has established and launched an inaugural student-run team of sustainability ambassadors, called the UNM Sustainability Corps. They began their work at move-in days this year, partnering with RLSH and campus recycling efforts to help students and families navigate move-in, share their knowledge and encourage responsible waste-removal practices in the residence halls.

Other volunteers, like UNM Foods and Lobo Football, will be present to help direct traffic, answer questions and even help students unload cars.

For new and returning resident students alike, residence halls are more than just rooms; they are communities full of people who can become lifelong friends, mentors, study partners, teammates and ultimately a support system.

Incoming first-year student Rana Keskin shared that she "loves the buildings and rooms, and everyone is friendly and easy to talk to." She will be starting in the psychology program, as she dreams of going to medical school one day.

"What I'm most excited about is that this is the beginning of having my own experience living on campus. I can't wait to experience what everyone else is always talking about," she said.

One way RLSH helps student feel welcomed and settle into their new home is by offering a series of programs each day for the first two weeks of the semester.

"We want people to know that we are invested in their success, and students do not have to figure out college or life on campus entirely on their own," said Chibanga.

For Ciana Bueno, also an incoming first-year student moving into Santa Clara residence hall, she is "excited to be around everything, and be close to people and to experience the shared living space."

Her dad, Carlos Bueno, shared that he is an alumnus and lived in the dorms while he attended UNM.

"I loved every minute of living in the dorms, so I am excited for Ciana to have her own experience," said Bueno.

Chibanga wants to remind every resident and parent to "give yourself grace and expect a little bit of chaos." She further explained that move-in day is exciting, emotional, hot, busy and occasionally unpredictable by nature.

"I always like to encourage families to leave a little room for the significance of the day. There can be a temptation to focus entirely on unloading the car or organizing the room, but this is a pretty extraordinary transition, so take pictures, give hugs and celebrate what your student has accomplished."

For more information or to find residential hall resources, visit the RLSH website.