SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — When freshmen get to Slippery Rock University to move into their residence halls, they are greeted by instructors, staff members, fellow students, even the president of the university.

Starting Thursday was the annual Weekend of Welcome at SRU when freshmen and transfer students living on campus move their things into their rooms and start to get acclimated to campus life.

Fall classes start at 8 a.m. Monday.

President Cheryl Norton pitched in Friday by joining the volunteers loading up plastic bins and taking them up to the students’ rooms.

Since some of the new students would know her name but not her face, she wore a green shirt with her name printed on the back.

“This is a community event. It’s a welcoming to all of our new students. Today shows Slippery Rock University the way we know it to exist,” Norton said.

Going away to college can be a stressful time for students and their families, so getting them moved in quickly helps make the transition smoother, she said.

“Our goal is to get the people to drop their stuff, get it in the room and get them to start getting settled.”

About 1,500 new students moved in Thursday and another 700 got situated Friday, said Karen Perry, assistant director of campus recreation. Returning students living on campus move in on Saturday and Sunday.

About 2,700 students total live on campus; 90 percent of students live within a 3-mile radius of campus.

About 300 students and 150 staff members volunteered to help students move their belongings and also welcome them to the campus.

Despite rainfall Thursday, everyone was able to get moved in without major issues, Perry said.

“All of our volunteers really rolled with it,” Perry said.

Many of the new students were brought to campus by their parents, but were left to their own devices once their belongings were unloaded.

Freshman Megan Esquino of Wexford said she was looking forward to being on her own and starting the school year.

Deciding what to bring with her for her dorm wasn’t hard, she said.

“My parents said I brought too much and it won’t fit in the room, but I don’t think so,” she said.

Dylan Resetarits of Cranberry Township said he moved in Thursday while it was raining.

“They were real helpful,” he said about the student volunteers.

Resetarits said he brought one out-of-the-ordinary thing with him to college: his hockey gear, which he hopes to put to use on campus.

Freshman Ben Richards of Butler said he will get to have more freedom at college, but being relatively close to home was also a plus when he picked where to go to college.

“It wasn’t too far away from home and I loved the campus so it was a good fit,” he said about choosing SRU.

Mike Farah of Ellwood City, the vice president of financial affairs for student government, went around offering snacks, water and business cards to the new students.

“It is a little chaotic, but we try to give as much info as we can about our organization,” Farah said.

Sophomore Emily Hartman of Connoquenessing said the Weekend of Welcome volunteers helped her move in last year and now she is returning the favor. The weekend is also a way for members of Gamma Sigma Sigma, a national service sorority, to do community service on campus.

Though the students and their families had to unload their vehicles, the volunteers did most of the work getting their things to their rooms.

“Most every family said ‘thank you,’” she said.