photo by: John English, Special to the Journal-World

This file photo from April 13, 2016, shows Daisy Hill, including Oswald Hall, back left, Self Hall, back right, Hashinger Hall, front left, and Lewis Hall, front right, on the University of Kansas campus.

Summer doesn’t end with a bang in Lawrence — but, maybe, a honk or two.

You know summer is over when the long line of vehicles — pillows crammed against the back window, a lamp dangling out the passenger door and a bundle of nerves and tears emanating from the cab — begin to accumulate around University of Kansas dormitories.

Those days are now upon us. Thursday and Friday are the big move-in days for many KU dorms, and local motorists are likely to notice as they try to make their way through parts of town.

This year Bob Billings Parkway/15th Street will be ground zero for move-in crowds. KU is directing all residents moving into Daisy Hill — the complex of dorms just southeast of 15th and Iowa Street — to congregate near the Bob Billings and Crestline Drive intersection.

That intersection leads to the parking lots near the Lied Center, and KU officials will start making a very long line of vehicles that snake their way through that lot — sometimes vehicles are in that line for hours — as they make their way across the Iowa Street overpass on Irving Hill Road.

Once vehicles are unloaded, they will exit onto 15th Street and travel through the main part of campus to park in the large parking lot across from Allen Fieldhouse. Shuttle buses will take them back to the dorms at that point for adventures in poster hanging, dorm furniture assembly and parental dread that their baby will forget all about them and never return home.

If you don’t have anyone moving into the dorm, you likely only care about this because you might encounter some nasty traffic jams during the next couple of days. While the Bob Billings and Crestline area is the official starting point, traffic impacts likely will be evident on Iowa Street. Past move-in days have featured a line of cars longer than the KU parking lot can contain, which results in vehicles backing up onto Iowa Street. Since dorm residents are coming from all directions, that can produce traffic jams both northbound and southbound on Iowa Street. For that matter, there could be some delays both eastbound and westbound on Bob Billings.

Move-in activity begins at about 7:30 a.m. and is expected to last until about 5 p.m. both days.

While Daisy Hill is the largest complex of dorms, it is not the only one. On Thursday, residents of Naismith Hall — which is now being entirely rented by KU’s student housing department — will move in. Motorists should be on the lookout for potential traffic problems near 19th Street and Ousdahl Drive. That’s the entry point for Naismith Hall residents.

Also on Thursday, 14th Street north of Massachusetts Street is expected to be busy. KU officials will be conducting move-in activities for multiple scholarship halls on the eastern edge of campus.

On Friday, GSP and Corbin halls, located near 11th and Ohio streets, northeast of campus, will have move in day. The entry line will begin at 14th and Massachusetts streets. Vehicles will travel up Oread Avenue on campus. Vehicles will exit the dorm area on 11th and Mississippi streets, and parking will be centered around the Kansas Union parking garage.

Areas for motorists to avoid include 14th Street north of Massachusetts Street, 11th Street north of Ohio Street, and Mississippi Street south of 11th Street. South Massachusetts Street in general might best be avoided, given the possibility of the line extending onto that street.

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Since we are talking KU and the end of summer, we might as well get up to speed on a few key dates surrounding the university.

The first day of classes is Monday. Yes, this is an unusual start time for KU. All other Regents universities — K-State, Wichita State and others — began classes on Monday, Aug. 19. Last year, KU began classes on Aug. 21, as did all the other Regents universities.

The later start date means that fall classes will end a week later than they do elsewhere in the state. The last day of classes at KU will be Dec. 12, and final exams will end Dec. 20.

Here’s a look at other key dates for KU this school year:

• Fall break: Oct. 12-15

• Thanksgiving break: Nov. 27 – Dec. 1

• Spring semester classes begin: Jan. 21

• Spring break: March 17-23

• Spring classes end: May 8

• Final exams end: May 16

• Commencement: May 18

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Not all dates should be about classes. Some should be about parties, and this is one that even parents are allowed to know about.

Downtown Lawrence Inc. is hosting a new event called Welcome Back Jayhawks Weekend. It is set for 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday. Retailers are being encouraged to create special shopping offers for the day. Some stores are expected to have sidewalk sale events. Restaurants are being urged to roll out dining specials. Pop-up performers are expected on the downtown sidewalks, and there will be a KU football kickoff party at 5 p.m. in South Park in downtown.

The kickoff party will include live music from the Mikey Needleman Band, tailgating games, food trucks, inflatables, face paintings, a balloon artist and other activities. It also will include pep rally speeches from KU head football coach Lance Leipold and KU Athletic Director Travis Goff.

That will be a big party, but it should not be confused with another big KU event downtown. Musical artist Shaboozey — alt-country artist that owns the No. 1 hit “A Bar Song” — will give a free downtown Lawrence street concert on Sept. 27 as part of KU’s 3rd Annual Rock Chalk Block Party. That event, which takes place on Family Weekend at KU, is shaping up to be one of the bigger downtown concerts ever in Lawrence.