The time has finally come, Penn State. We’re back for yet another year of all-nighters, long walks on campus, blistering cold winter mornings, tailgates, and countless other activities that make Happy Valley our home. But before we can get to the aforementioned fun, one of the most dreaded weekends of the year stands in our way: move-in weekend.

Move-in weekends are always a little strange. On one hand, everyone’s excited to finally be back at school. All of your friends are together again after a long summer apart. Plus, who doesn’t love decorating their brand-new dorm or apartment. On the other hand, however, move-in can actually feel like hell on earth. After all, State College is teeming with stressed out parents and families. It’s pretty easy to get swept up in all of that frustration too.

With the majority of students moving in during the next few days, we came up with some classic signs that it is move-in weekend. Here they are:

1) Confused parents drive the wrong way down Beaver Avenue. 

This one is a classic. For students and townies who have mastered the art of driving in downtown State College, driving the wrong way down Beaver or College makes about as much sense as being a Rutgers fan. But for parents, especially those of freshmen, the roads of State College are a winding jumble of confusing one-way streets and dead ends. I sympathize with these folks, but that doesn’t make seeing them frantically try to make a u-turn any less hilarious.

2) Trying to get a blue cart at one of the dorms is nearly impossible. 

During move-in weekend, those little blue baskets with wheels are more in demand than a batch of West cookies at lunchtime. After all, the carts do really make a difference when you’re hauling your worldly possessions into your shoebox of a dorm. They cut the amount of trips you have to take by at least half. But, these magical carts come with a cost. That cost often looks like dueling a mom or two to get a cart. But hey, it’s totally worth it.

3) Walking down College Avenue is like weaving through a maze. 

Since everyone has their families in town, groups of four or five or six are not uncommon to see strutting around town. Unfortunately, these families clearly do not understand sidewalk etiquette, as they tend to take up the entire walkway. That means if you’re traveling alone, it’s nearly impossible to get to your destination because you’re forced to swerve in between massive groups.

4) Walmart is a black hole of despair.

I can’t stand Walmart on a good day. But move-in weekend Walmart is a whole different horrifying universe. Not only is the store literally teeming with human beings hauling around overstuffed carts, but the selection is always completely picked over. No matter how early you get there, someone always seems to beat you to that last pack of command hooks. Plus, Walmart seems to bring out the worst in people, and that’s only intensified by the stress of move-in weekend.

5) Every restaurant in town is packed.

One of the absolute best moments of move-in weekend is when your parents take you out to dinner to celebrate the beginning of another school year. But here’s the catch: everyone else’s parents are doing the exact same thing. It’s touching and sweet, but that also means a two-hour wait at the Corner Room. Having a free meal is definitely worth it, but the wait can be pretty excruciating.

6) There’s an amazing energy around town. 

Even with all of the chaos and frustration of move-in weekend, you can’t help but notice that Penn State buzzes with excitement. Everyone can’t wait to start a new school year in the best place on the planet. It makes all moving in stress worth it.