New-Student Guide

As you prepare for your transition to college life at Eckerd, check out the timeline below to make sure that you are on track throughout the summer.

Be sure to add these important dates to your calendar, phone, right hand, or whatever you use to stay on schedule so that you don’t miss a deadline or due date.

June 1 – Housing Application and Housing Agreement Due

June 11 – Autumn Term Class Online Registration Opens

June 20 – Autumn Term Class Registration Closes

Early June – Housing assignments emailed to your Eckerd email account

Late June/Early July – Student Billing Emailed

June 26 – Immunization Form Due

August 1 – Emergency & Missing Contact Info. Form Due

August 1 – Family & Legacy Form Due

August 2 – Payment for 1st Semester Due

August 8 – Autumn Term check-in. You will receive a specific check-in date and time with your housing assignment.

August 8 – Health Insurance Waiver Form Due

August 9 – Autumn Term Begins.

August 20 – First-year registration for fall semester begins.

August 28 – Autumn Term ends.

August 28 – Check-in and orientation for new transfer students who did not participate in Autumn Term. Orientation runs Thursday, August 28, through Saturday August 30.

August 29 – Autumn Term make up day, if needed.

September 1 – Fall semester begins.

October 14-15 – Fall Reading Days (if not needed to make up class days).

November 10 – Winter/Spring 2026 registration begins at 7 a.m.

November 26-28 – Thanksgiving holiday. No classes.

December 5 – Last day of classes.

December 8-11 – Examination period. Students must vacate residents halls within 24 hours after their last exam.

* Starred items may be found at Trash To Treasure, an annual sale of second-hand items that past students have donated for new students to purchase at discounted prices. Trash 2 Treasure is hosted by the Office of Sustainability and will be running on move-in day during Autumn Term. Items are subject to availability.

Small Items
● Small shelf unit*, milk crates or shelves*
● Mattress pad
● Comforter or blanket
● Twin extra long bedsheets
● Desk lamp and floor lamp*
● Pillows
● Under bed storage boxes (3 or 4)*
● Towels (2 to 4)
● Posters or other wall art*
● Washcloths (2 to 4)
● Day Planner or calendar
● Message board for your door*
● Beach towels
● Plates, utensils, cups, mugs and bowls
● Toothbrush holder
● Small trash can*
● Coffee or tea maker without hot plate (Keurig style)*
● Hangers*
● Shower caddy (for shampoo, soap, toothbrush, razor, etc.)
● Surge protector*
● Headphones or a small speaker
● Command strips/hooks for hanging decorations
● Portable laundry basket* and laundry detergent
● Broom/small vacuum and Swiffer*
● Cleaning Supplies (students living in Sigma/West Lodge have their own bathroom, which they get to clean)

As part of Eckerd’s commitment to environmentally conscious living, we also recommend the following products:
● Dryer balls
● Reusable containers and Stasher bags
● Reusable cutlery (ex. To Go-Ware)
● Reusable cups
● Composting bucket/collection container
● Recycling bin
● Bamboo toothbrush
● Shampoo bar
● Conditioner bar
● Reusable bags for grocery shopping
● Reusable K cups for coffee maker
● Loose-leaf tea + strainer

Large Items

• Television
  There are televisions in the lounges, but if it’s possible, it’s nice to have one in your room.
• Computer
  If you have a computer or are thinking about getting one, it’s a great idea and there is plenty of space. All of our rooms are equipped with wireless internet. You’ll find minimum requirements and other information on the Information Technology Services site.
• Refrigerator*
  If you buy a small fridge (roughly between $50.00 and $90.00) and use it for your four years at Eckerd, you can donate it to our Trash 2 Treasure sale before you graduate. Renting is much more expensive, costing over $200.00 per year.
• Bikes on Campus
  Eckerd College has yellow “community bicycles” available for use only on campus as part of the Yellow Bike Program. They are wonderful for getting around campus. Eckerd also has six white bicycles that are available for students to take off  campus. However, you will still want to consider bringing your own bike as these are all very popular. There’s plenty to do within a few miles of campus and many bike trails for the more serious rider. Florida’s flat terrain makes biking easy. If you don’t want to bring your bike from home or don’t own one, you can purchase a bicycle at one at any of the bike shops in the Tampa Bay area, including the Nu Bicycle Shop on campus.
• Skateboards
  Skateboards are also a popular item on campus. The roads on campus are paved and in pretty good shape. If you have a skateboard, bring it along!
• Cars on Campus
  First year students are allowed to keep cars on campus. All cars must be registered with campus safety during Autumn Term. The parking permit is $130 for the year.

Transportation Off Campus

For those who do not have a car, or those who are not a fan of biking – you are in luck. There is a public bus stop on campus. Fares are reasonable and you can buy an all day pass or monthly unlimited passes. You can ride the bus to the beaches, downtown St. Petersburg, Tyrone Mall and Clearwater. Check out the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority website for more information.

Mailing Items Ahead

If you would like to ship a few boxes to campus in advance, you are permitted to mail a maximum of 5 boxes to your Eckerd mailbox number. Make sure they arrive after July 31st. Students will receive their mailbox number and mailing instructions in mid July.

Summer Storage

The only time that students generally move out of their rooms is during summer break. From time to time, first-year students are asked to move their belongings for the winter term if they don’t plan to be on campus and their room is needed for winter term visiting students. Basically, once you move in, it’s your room and your space. During the summer, there are some great storage places within 1 to 4 miles of campus. Many students will share storage space with friends. Costs can range from $30.00 to $60.00 for the summer, depending on how many people are storing together. Within the group, a few will have cars available and will help get everyone’s items to the storage area.

For those interested in maintaining a small storage space throughout the school year (for those with lots of luggage or other large items that might be inconvenient in a dorm room), you may contact one of the following local storage facilities:

iStorage
3950 34th Street South
727-308-5565

Spare Room Mini-Storage
4311 34th Street South
727-866-9357

Stormax Self Storage
4250 34th Street
727-866-7373

Eckerd College has partnered with GradGuard to provide students with their own personal property insurance while living in their home away from home. GradGuard provides students with insurance designed for them.

As noted in your housing agreement, Eckerd College assumes no responsibility and provides no insurance or financial protection for your personal property. You are required to provide proof of renters insurance coverage, whether through GradGuard or your own.

Microfridge and Bed Lofting Rentals

There are a few housekeeping items you need to be aware of that will ensure that your friends and loved ones will be able to effectively correspond with you while attending Eckerd. In early July, you will receive an introductory email from Mail Services which contains your Campus Box number. It is essential that this number be used on all mail and packages sent to you.

Many students elect to ship objects, such as books or other items, to the college in advance of their arrival. While this practice is permitted, please understand that Mail Services has limited storage space. Because of this, please schedule your deliveries as close to your arrival as possible. DO NOT ship anything to the campus before you have your Campus Box number. If you plan to purchase items online and have them shipped directly to the college, you MUST be sure to provide the campus box number as part of the ship-to address (use the address format below). The information that Mail Services uses to identify student names is based off the name the student provided during registration. Mail Services sorts all packages based on the student first and last name, not by box number, failure to include the actual student name, not a pet-name or alias, may result in the item being misplaced or lost. Finally, because of space limitations, we ask that you limit the number of advance shipments to no more than 5.

Please use the following address format for all items:

Student Name
Campus Box xxxx
Eckerd College
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711-4744

Every business day, Mail Services receives large volumes of mail and packages. Therefore, failure to indicate the actual name of the recipient will delay the item. Also, it is not unusual for some students to share the same name. In this circumstance, absence of the Campus Box number results in confusion and delay.

The Student Name and Campus Box number should always be located above Eckerd College in the address field. Use the specific words “Campus Box” followed by the number. DO NOT refer to the Student Box as “PO Box”, “Box No” or “Box” since the processing equipment used by the US Postal Service specifically looks for these. If that system reads one of these indicators, it may misdirect the piece of mail causing delay and, in some instances, loss of the item. Also, many shipping carriers and online vendors may not ship to PO Boxes because they require a signature as proof of delivery.

Once you get to campus, follow these easy steps to open your mailbox.

What is the closest airport?

There are two airports within 20-25 minutes of campus that serve the Tampa Bay area. TPA handles a large volume of flights and handles most airline carriers. PIE is a smaller terminal that serves fewer airline carriers.

Tampa International Airport (TPA)
St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport (PIE)
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)

How should we get from the airport to Eckerd?

• Renting a Car
  Both airports also offer rental car services. Tampa International has sixteen rental car companies located on the property: Avis, Budget, Payless, Zipcar; Enterprise, Alamo, National; Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty; Ace; Advantage; E-Z; Executive; Fox; Sixt. St. Petersburg/Clearwater airport offers service from the following rental car companies: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National.
• Driving Directions
  Right off of Interstate 275, Eckerd’s campus is easy to find! For specific driving directions, utilize Google Maps here.
• Uber/Lyft
  Uber and Lyft are downloadable apps for users on Android, Apple iOS, and Windows Phones. Uber and Lyft connect riders with drivers using their phone’s GPS capabilities and provides users with a reliable, safe form of transportation. Use their website to get a fare estimate to see what it might cost you.

When should we arrive and depart and where should we stay?

Although you will not be able to move into your residence hall until check in, many families choose to arrive early and stay in the area. They enjoy the extra time to rest and recharge before check-in as well as to pick up any last-minute items not purchased at home.

There are quite a few hotel options in the local area. A list of recommended hotels can be found here. If you’re considering a hotel that is not listed, please feel free to contact the Admissions Office at 727-864-8331 if you would like information regarding the hotel’s location, surrounding area and proximity to the College.

If you plan to be in the area longer than a couple of nights, we would recommend that you consider renting a condominium or house as the cost may be equal to or less than many nights in a hotel and it would provide a full kitchen and more space. Feel free to use Airbnb or Vrbo for rentals.

NOTE:
You may not move into the residence halls until your assigned check-in date and time. If you will be driving to St. Petersburg and anticipate that you will have items to store for a few days, please contact Spare Room Mini Storage, Inc. Their phone number is 727.866.9357.