More than 7,400 students (and an animal or two) braved 90-degree temperatures over the weekend while moving into 麻豆原创 residence halls before the Fall 2018 semester. Of this year鈥檚 group, about 5,000 are first-year students. Some arrived with posters of Doctor Who and plants for greener living. Others hauled in air fryers, mini-fridges and stuffed animals. Nearly all buzzed with excitement for the coming school year and independent living.
(photo by Nick Leyva ’15)
Nine residential areas make up 麻豆原创’s student housing. These include the main-campus communities of Apollo, Hercules, Lake Claire, Libra, Neptune, Nike, Northview and Towers at Knights Plaza, as well as the Rosen College Apartments on the Rosen Campus.
Next year, Knights will be able to move into the new UnionWest residential community as the 麻豆原创 Downtown campus opens in the fall.
鈥淲inston is my emotional support animal. He provides me with comfort to deal with my social anxiety,鈥� says Noah Meister, a sophomore film major, and National Merit Scholar. 鈥淚 got him three months ago and he鈥檚 6 months old. He鈥檚 a really friendly dog [and] when I have trouble connecting with people, I have him around. Normally he鈥檚 pretty calm and friendly, but if he meets someone new he gets overly excited to see them. I think once he gets used to the campus, meeting new people won鈥檛 be such a big deal for him. He鈥檚 already gotten used to my roommates after 15 minutes of meeting.鈥�
鈥淭he plant’s name is Philbert. It鈥檚 a burro鈥檚 tail. At the moment, he is my most prized possession. That鈥檚 why he鈥檚 getting moved in first. I鈥檝e had him for a month. I鈥檝e killed cactuses before, so I hope he lives,鈥� says 20-year-old Erin Stein, a junior studio art major and Burnett Honors Scholar. 鈥淭his is my third year living in the dorms. I was in Neptune my freshman year and Lake Claire last year. The key to being a good roommate is being clean and quiet. I recommend living with friends, if you can. But not in the same bedroom. That tends to ruin friendships.鈥�
鈥淢y last name is Heckman, like 鈥榃hat the heck man?鈥� And I鈥檓 walking around with this giraffe, so it鈥檚 really like 鈥榃hat the heck man?鈥� 鈥� says first-year engineering major Kylie Heckman. 鈥淚 got it when I was 10 鈥� it鈥檚 an old giraffe. It was the first time my parents let me choose things to remodel my own room. I saw this giant giraffe, so you know a 10-year-old girl who loves giraffes is going to get a giant giraffe. I just wanted to feel comfortable and at home so I brought it [along with three other giraffe stuffed animals from my brother, mom and grandmother.]鈥�
鈥淭o know that we鈥檙e going to be at the same school together, I can鈥檛 wait because I鈥檒l be able to see him a lot more,鈥� says Connor Smith, a and marketing major, who will be living in Lake Claire near his cousin, Mason Kamphaus, an engineering major and third-generation Knight. 鈥淲e have about a 30-second walk to each other at all times.鈥�
鈥淪ome places on campus I鈥檝e been a million times, but [the resident halls are] new to me,鈥� says Pritom Karmaker, a biomedical sciences major, Burnett Honors Scholar and National Merit Scholar.
鈥淚 loved it the first time I was here,鈥� says Rebecca Gaschler, a political science major, Burnett Honors Scholar and National Merit Scholar. 鈥淚 just clicked with it and I didn鈥檛 really want to even apply anywhere else.鈥�
