Amid the whoops of welcome and buzz of activity emanating from Whitnall Field on move-in day, came this shouted question from a first-year student:
“Mom, how many of these 250 hangers do you think I’ll need?”
Ah, the joys of packing — and overpacking — for college.
Boxes, laptops, suitcases, duffel bags, mini-fridges, plastic bags filled with sheets, and guitars were some of the items members of the Class of 2012 were bringing to their new homes Thursday as Colgate’s campus truly awakened from its summer slumber.
For Lucy Baird, of Worcester, Mass., the most important item she brought for her Andrews Hall room was a Mac laptop.
“I’m a little nervous but very excited,” she said about her first day on campus.
Baird had visited Colgate in the spring, and she said it was the “vibe” that sold her on the place.
“Everyone seemed so nice, and when I saw all that the school has to offer, I couldn’t resist,” she said.
Staff members from many different offices and student workers were everywhere on campus, welcoming new arrivals, filling moving vans, carrying bags into residence halls, and helping with paperwork in Cotterrell Court.
Eugene Caracciolo, father of first-year Chris Caracciolo, was impressed by the organized move-in and glad for the help. He needed some reassurance, because Chris is the first of his three children to leave their New Haven, Conn., home for college.
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“It’s a real milestone, and it’s a time to reflect for us,” he said, adding it’s a bit tough to let go.
Nancy Branz, of Hopkinton, Mass., said the day was bittersweet for her, as she waited by the car for her daughter Sarah Branz, who is moving in to Andrews Hall.
“You raise your children so they are able to do this,” she said, adding that her daughter was already feeling comfortable at Colgate after taking part in a weeklong pre-orientation program.
Dan Lieberman ’09, who is a Link, or peer advisor, was greeting new students and families at the O’Connor Campus Center. He remembered being “terrified” his first day on campus.
What would he tell first years, now, after three full years on campus?
“Be yourself. There’s a lot of stuff you can get caught up in freshman year, and people try to reinvent themselves, but the truth always comes out,” he said. “So just be yourself, get involved, and meet as many people as you can. Colgate has so much to offer.”