By Patrick Baron
NORMAL – The streets and parking lots surrounding the dorms of Illinois State University are full of students eager to move in.
Thousands of students are moving in today and through the weekend. With such a large number of students moving in at one time, it can be a bit hectic. ISU Director of Media Relations Eric Jome explained the school adapts prep work for move-in week to make it easier each year.
“This kind of stuff goes on year round, the year-round preparation, and refinements are made to the system,” said Jome.
Even with refinements, the sheer number of students looking to get their keys can make it a time-consuming process. Assistant Director for Marketing and Assessment for University Housing Services Stephanie Robertson described how volunteers make a huge difference in keeping the staff prepared and the lines moving.
“We have volunteers who are students, fraternities and sororities, athletic departments, faculty staff members, everybody comes out for move-in to get their hands on helping Redbirds move in,” Robertson explained.
For the students, moving in means leaving the nest and starting a new life away from home. Incoming freshman Lindsey Shackle said the most exciting aspect about moving in for her is meeting her new roommates. On the other side of the coin, parents seeing their children leave home can be tough. For Diana Hayes, she simply wants her daughter to be happy in her new home.
“[I hope] that she’s happy and excited,” Haynes explained. “I’m scared to death, of course.”
ISU’s move-in runs through Sunday, with the fall semester officially beginning on Monday.
Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].
