The move or return to campus can feel overwhelming. But with a little planning, your move-in can be a lot easier. Use our IT Tasks timeline checklist to make sure you get connected.

1–2 Months in Advance

Get a Laptop

Laptops are a necessity for studying on campus. Check out Pitt’s negotiated discounts through Dell and Apple at pi.tt/buyacomputer. If you already have a device, make sure the operating system, browser, and apps are current with latest updates and patches.

• If you have a desktop, consider getting a tablet for use in class or around campus.
• You won’t need a printer. Pitt IT maintains dozens of Pitt Print Stations throughout campus.
• Noise-canceling headphone are a life-saver in noisy residence halls and public campus spaces.

Check and Share Your Pitt Email

You may not love email, but you’ll be getting a lot of important info via email ... and it starts before your first day of classes! Check your email regularly for housing and dining information, move-in and Welcome Week activities, Canvas notifications for fall classes, and more. Just go to myPitt (my.pitt.edu) and search for “Pitt Email”. Select it as a Favorite for easy access moving forward.

You can personalize your email address to create an alias that is easier for you and your friends/family to remember. Some people choose their current Gmail username, while others pick something intuitive, like their first initial and last name (jdoe@pitt.edu). Creating an email alias will not change your username for the purposes of logging into Pitt services and systems.
 

1–2 Weeks in Advance

Set Up Your Wi-Fi Account and Register Your Devices

You’ll find a few different Wi-Fi networks, depending on where you are on campus. PittNet Wi-Fi is available in all academic and administrative buildings, Pitt Shuttles, and select outdoor locations. Residence Hall Wi-Fi (MyResNet) is available in all residence halls on the Pittsburgh campus, including the dining halls located there.

Most devices detect PittNet_Wireless on their own, but you will need to set up your MyResNet account to connect your devices in your room. After creating your account, you must register each device (laptop, phone, smart TV, gaming console). This can be a little complicated, so we recommend you complete this before move-in, so your devices connect automatically when you move in.

Download Software and Apps

With all the software available to students at no cost, downloading apps for your computer and mobile devices can be time-consuming. Save yourself the headache and get it done before you get here! Check out the “Must-Have Apps at Pitt” for our suggestions. Short on hard drive space? You don’t need to download most apps—you can access most of them via the Virtual Computing Lab and/or on the web.
 

During Move-In

Pack Electronics Safely

Moving all your electronic devices can be a challenge. It’s tempting to just throw it all in drawers, laundry baskets, and boxes. But you need to take a little more care when moving computing equipment and electronics, and all their cords and accessories. Follow these steps to make sure they arrive in working order.

Get Help Setting Up

With thousands of students coming onto campus in just a few days, Pitt IT has extra Help Desk consultants on hand to answer your questions. You can stop by the Technology Help Desk tables set up in Towers Lobby or use chat, email, or phone for assistance with any hurdle you run into.

You can also stop by Drop-In Support in the University Store on Fifth or G-62 Cathedral of Learning (Cathy) with your laptop, phone, or tablet. A consultant can set up the device for use at Pitt, so it will automatically connect to Wi-Fi, send documents to Pitt Print stations, log into the Virtual Computing Lab, access your email and cloud storage, download Microsoft 365 and other software, and more.
 

During the First Month

Follow and Favorite

myPitt is your gateway for finding anything and everything on campus. Favorite the tasks you use most often, including Pitt Email, PeopleSoft CX, Canvas, PittPay, Virtual Computing Lab, and Microsoft 365. If you have a campus job, add PittWorx for submitting your timecard. Then, stay on top of important IT info by subscribing to the IT newsletter, and following @UPittIT on Instagram (or Twitter or Facebook).

Ensure Your CyberSafety

As you embark on your academic journey, it's crucial to prioritize the security of your digital life. Check out our Guide to Staying Safe Online, and take care of these safety tasks in your first few weeks:

• Complete the Security Training: All incoming students are required to complete cybersecurity training in your first month. It’s a series of quick, fun videos and activities that will help you avoid online risks. Go to the Pitt IT Training Dashboard complete each of the fun modules.
• Set Your Security Questions: If you forget your Pitt password, you can reset it online by answering security questions if you’ve set them up in advance. Otherwise, you’ll need to go to Drop-In Support or a computing lab in person to reset it. Go to Accounts Self Service > Login & Security > Update Security Questions to pick your questions and provide the answers.
• Ask Duo to Remember You: Duo Multifactor Authentication helps prevent unauthorized access to your Pitt account. But it gets annoying to constantly approve the prompts. You can tell Duo to remember your device so it only sends you one prompt in a 24-hour period. When you approve a Duo prompt from a personal device, choose “Yes, this is my device”. Once the trusted session expires, Duo will automatically keep “Remember me” selected for that device.
• Get Pitt Password Manager (LastPass): A password manager generates and saves unbreakable passwords, stores payment methods and other secure info, and auto-fills your logins. You just need to remember one Master Password! Get started in three easy steps: create a LastPass account, install the browser plug-in and mobile app, and import passwords from your browser.

Get It Done Early

Moving in and starting a new academic year is hectic enough. Complete the items above so you’ll be able to hit the ground running. Welcome (back) to Pitt, Panthers!

-- By Karen Beaudway, Pitt IT Blogger