A dorm welcome
Bins filled with furniture, clothing and personal keepsakes wheeled around parked suitcases and duffel bags as a line of cars filled just about every inch of the crowded curb at Slippery Rock University on Thursday.
Other than the fact that everyone wore face masks indoors, the day was a typical freshmen move-in day at SRU.
“This year compared to last year feels much more normal,” said David Wilmes, chief student affairs officer at SRU. “There's a lot of energy, a lot of excitement. We're just really excited to have everybody back.”
Wilmes said 1,000 students moved in to campus dorms Thursday, consisting of freshmen and new transfer students. More than 300 student volunteers and about 200 faculty members were also present to help the newcomers, and members of the university ROTC directed traffic. All this help made the move-in process run smoothly.“It was really easy to move,” said Daniel Nichols, a freshman from Gibsonia. “We got everything in and out.”While many parents shed tears as their freshmen students packed up and started the next chapter of their lives, the excitement could not be hidden from their children's faces.“I'm nervous, but pretty excited,” Nichols said. “Just getting to meet new people is what I'm looking forward to.”The freshmen now have plenty of opportunities even before classes begin Monday to meet people and make new friends. The university has a “Week of Welcome” planned, with activities taking place over the weekend meant to get students engaged.Additionally, the university has some special events planned for sophomores, who didn't get to engage in the typical activities they would have in their freshman year.“The sophomores didn't get to have the normal freshman activities,” Wilmes said. “We're having a kickoff for sophomores on Sunday to give them some of that back.”
Heidi Bednarz, a sophomore member of the Honors College, was volunteering on move-in day, and helping students unpack their cars and find their dorms. She said she was glad to help people move in, and pleased this upcoming year is shaping up to have more activities.“Everyone has been nice so far. No one has been too much trouble,” she said. “It's really exciting to see everyone.”Kaleb Stevens, a junior in the Honors College, also said he is looking forward to the school year.“It'll be nice to meet people,” Stevens said. “We didn't get a lot of chances for that last year.”The day was long for many of the volunteers who helped, but Wilmes said they made a potentially frustrating experience good and memorable for the families.
“We have had a lot of compliments from students and their parents,” Wilmes said.Many students moving in Thursday were from a community close to SRU. Incoming freshman Nathan Sharp is a resident of Wexford, but was not very familiar with the university's campus. However, he said he likes the location.“I was looking to stay relatively close to home,” Sharp said. “This is a good place, not too close and not too far. Don't want my parents coming up every weekend.”
