Anxious parents, carloads of personal belongings and congested parking garages were hard to avoid on campus during the final days of summer as thousands of new Wildcats moved into their residence halls.
While students were able to move in early Wednesday, the regular move-in process started early Thursday morning and continued Friday. Residence Life offered newcomers a number of resources to help with the transition, according to Dana Robbins-Murray, assistant director of marketing for Residence Life. The department also posted on its website several maps and guides, and a section of frequently asked questions to make sure everyone made it to where they were going.
In addition, Parking and Transportation Services helped deal with the additional traffic by providing additional signage as well as increased PTS staff members on streets, garages, and residence halls, according to Bill Davidson, the marketing specialist for PTS. The department also worked with Residence Life and the streetcar construction team to coordinate the move-in process.
Robbins-Murray also encouraged many incoming freshmen to attend Wildcat Welcome. The nine-day series of events runs through the first week of school, and is meant to help freshmen prepare for and settle into college life.
Alana Sorge, a resident assistant in Coronado Residence Hall advised incoming freshmen living in the Residence Halls to have an open mind during the first days of the semester.
“Keep your doors open when you’re in your room,” she said. “You never know who’s going to walk by. There are a lot of interesting people living in the residence halls, who you might never get a chance to meet otherwise.”
For some newcomers, Residence Life’s preparations paid off. Cassi Parsons, a biology freshman moving in to Hopi Lodge Residence Hall, said the move-in process was easy and that she was most looking forward to meeting new people.
For others, getting moved in wasn’t so simple, as biology freshman Paige Doyle described her move into Graham-Greenlee Residence Hall as “hectic.”
Some students were apprehensive about living with other people, which will be a new experience for many incoming freshmen. Autumn Konke, a finance freshman, said she wasn’t looking forward to living in communal bathrooms. Others were hopeful for the year ahead, including Christian Keefer, an engineering freshman.
“I think I’m going to like living with another person,” Keefer said, “it’s a good experience.”
For some families, both students and their parents were optimistic about the years ahead as Wildcats.
“I don’t think it will be a problem living with someone else, said Vincent Palasky, an accounting freshman. “I’m very easy-going and I adapt to situations.”
Palesky’s mother, Cathy, also had high hopes for her son’s future at the UA.
“I’m very excited for my son to come here, it’s a great adventure,” she said. “I think this is a great school and I hope he has a great four years.”
Incoming freshmen share their thoughts and expectations from Daily Wildcat on Vimeo.
