Friday morning was the beginning of the weekend-long Fall 2007 Move-In for the approximately 1,100 students who will be living in the residence halls.

The event, which was put on by Student Activities in collaboration with Housing and Residential Life, consisted of more than 300 volunteers helping students and parents move belongings into the residence halls.

Volunteers were returning students and members of various on-campus social organizations and clubs. In addition to lending a hand to those moving in, they advised students on the ways they can be involved with campus activities and events.

“We just want to get the word out to the students that these are their fellow students,” Marci Flores, senior public relations major and student assistant, said. “These are the leaders of our campus. These are the people (who) are stepping up.”

Along with the day-long assistance, an array of booths was set up in the residence hall quad, advertising campus services and informing students of events and activities they can become involved in.

KSSU (1580 AM) gave away promotional CDs and provided music, while UNIQUE gave out fliers advertising upcoming concerts and movie screenings on-campus.

Representatives from the Hornet Bookstore, STA Travel and Associated Students Inc. were also present to talk to those moving in about campus resources they can use.

While students could move in on any day over the holiday weekend, they were encouraged to arrive on Friday to take advantage of the full range of activities planned for them.

Some events included trips to the California State Fair, hall meetings and mixers, a sportsfest and evening “dive-in movies,” where students watched movies while swimming.

Erin Morgan, a junior criminal justice major, said she is looking forward to meeting students her own age who live in the residence halls.

“I’m a transfer student and I really wanted to get to know people,” Morgan said.

Freshman kinesiology major Jasmine Anderson lived in the dorms last year and is returning mostly due to its convenience. She said the noise level at nights is distracting, but she still enjoys the social aspects of resident life.

Other students had a different take on returning to the dorms.

Sophomore mechanical engineering and technology major Brandon Recht said that there were many positives of living in the dorms, but ultimately he decided to live off campus this year.

“I just like more privacy,” Recht said. “It’s kind of hard going from having your own space to sharing your space with a lot of people.”

However, he said that he liked that he didn’t have to worry about parking when he lived in the residence halls, along with the fact that he could sleep in later and wake up with “just enough time to get to class.”

Noticeably different this year is the fenced off parking lot and land surrounding the spot where Foley Hall once stood. In its place will be new apartment-style dorms, which are slated for opening in Fall 2009.

Director of Housing and Residential Life Cynthia Cockrill said that the residence halls place a heavy emphasis on socialization in the beginning of the year to aid students with a smooth transition into college life away from their families.

Not only were there orientation activities for students, but parents also had events planned for them. One such example was the Parent Reception, where moms and dads were instructed on what to expect when their child goes off to college, and given tips on how to improve communication.

“The family and students show up and we’re here for them,” Cockrill said. “It’s just symbolic of what we do for our students.”

Natalye Childress Smith can be reached at [email protected].