The Theophilus Tower lawn was overwhelmed with life Thursday as new Vandals arrived to move into the University of Idaho residence halls.
Some students were seeing the campus for the first time. Others had been there before for football games or to see their older siblings. Many parents accompanied their students to help them settle in, but extra hands were not in short supply.
Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life Corey Ray said about 60 members of the UI community showed up to volunteer Thursday, including well-known names on campus like Dean of Students Blaine Eckles, UI President Chuck Staben and Vice President of Finance Brian Foisy. He said that number doesn’t include the members of the Vandal football and volleyball teams that showed up to carry some of the heavier cargo.
“I think it’s great,” Ray said. “And they’re in their uniforms. That just showcases the Vandal pride.”
Other organizations across Moscow sent volunteers to help the students move in as well. Payton Mader and Lilia Wang came with other members of Resonate Church. They said they wanted to come to meet freshmen and make them feel welcome.
“I remember how scary it was when I first got here my freshman year,” Wang said.
The two women were on campus ready to go at 9 a.m. when the move in process officially started, and within the first few hours of the day they already saw a fair bit of excitement. Tents were set up across the lawn intending to help students get accustomed to campus and have fun. One tent was giving out free snow cones, which was so popular they gave out hundreds and even ran out of ice before noon. Another area featured two “zorb” balls that students could climb inside.
Though Wang and Mader were not involved with these features of the day, they said they saw their fair share of interesting items while helping students carry stuff to their dorm rooms. Wang said she had to carry a huge teddy bear outside under the hot sun, and they also helped a student with a realistic Zelda sword. Neither of them were sure how the student would get away with having such an item in the residence halls.
“She said it was pretty dull,” Mader said.
Ray said about 1,200 students were there to move in, most of them new students. He said the new students showed up Thursday because it was also the first day of new student orientation. Older students chose to move in a few days later to avoid the crowds, Ray said.
Though the area in and surrounding the residence halls were packed with people, Ray said he didn’t think it was “crazy,” but rather referred to it as a sort of organized chaos. They were prepared to handle most issues that may arise, he said. Although there weren’t issues with the elevators, Ray said they had a person designated to fix any elevator problems if it came up.
One of the students in the crowd was freshman Braxton Bedke, who moved into the Wallace Residence Center Thursday with help from his mother and sister. Bedke actually made the trek up to Moscow two weeks previously and worked at The Grove with his older sister Ivy.
Because of this, Bedke was able to move in right when the day started, and the process went almost without a hitch, even though there was a close call when it came to his fan.
“Wal-Mart was sold out of fans when we got there,” said Bobbie, Bedke’s mother. “We got the last one.”
Ray said he sees many parents with their children on move-in days, and it interests him to observe the different situations. Some parents, like Bobbie, have helped their older children move into college before this year, but others are moving their first children in this time and ask more questions and often are more emotional.
“It’s great to watch people,” Ray said. “This is a big moment.”
Erin Bamer
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