Updated as of 2:16 p.m. on Aug. 22 to include video.
Student volunteers welcomed the class of 2029 to Historic Neighborhood Aug. 22.
Elisa Martinez drove eight hours from New Jersey to Elon University and arrived yesterday. She said she spent her free time driving around campus and seeing where she will spend the next chapter of her life.
“We did a little drive around and I just got really excited seeing everybody walking around,” Martinez said.
She moved into Carolina Residence Hall, one of two all-female dorms on campus. She said she chose to be in the all-female dorm and that she was excited to meet her roommate, who she met through Instagram.
At Smith Residence Hall, Elon’s all-male dorm, Patrick Fleming helped his son move in. He said this is his first child in college and it is both exciting and scary.
“We're super impressed with Elon,” Fleming said. “We're excited about all the opportunities that he's got. The only fear is if he somehow doesn't take advantage of all that, so that's all on him now.”
Reese Fitzpatrick came from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and said she chose Elon for its balance between social experiences and academic opportunities.
“Elon was just a mix of both of them,” Fitzpatrick said. “The best of both worlds.”
Fitzpatrick said she recently completed an internship at a newspaper and is planning to major in journalism.
“I just want to meet as many people as I can and really like what I’m doing,” Fitzpatrick said.
Roommates Angela Davis and Jordan Felice also moved into Historic Neighborhood. The two originally met on Instagram and then met up in person because they’re both from the Boston area.
Felice is an elementary education major in the Teaching Fellows program and said she is looking forward to gaining teaching experience and traveling to New Zealand her sophomore year.
Davis is part of the first class of neuroscience majors, which was announced last year.
“I really loved Elon and I was debating on it, and then I heard that there was a new major and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh I have to go,’” Davis said. “I was going to choose a different school because they had neuroscience, but then when I found out, I was like, ‘I have to choose Elon.’”
Orientation Leaders, Resident Assistants and Peer Educators are not the only current students helping new students move in. Fall sports teams, who have been on campus for preseason, are also helping with move-in. Members of the football and soccer team stood outside Carolina and Smith waiting to unload arriving cars.
Rylan Shibley, a member of the football team, is an incoming freshman who already moved into his East C dorm. He spent his morning helping other freshmen move in and said he wanted to meet his fellow freshmen and get them acclimated to campus life.
“On the football team, we had a little bit of a head start, so I kind of know what everyone’s going through, kind of what to expect, but I think it’s good that we get to meet and greet other people,” Shibley said.
Shibley has been the only person moved into his dorm floor and is excited to meet new people.
“As much as I love the football guys, it does get a little tiring seeing their faces everyday,” Shibley said. “I’m excited to see everyone else and develop friendships.”
Men’s soccer player Tristan D’Adamo was also in Historic Neighborhood helping freshmen move in.
“It'll be nice to help move into campus,” D’Adamo said. “It's good that we get to be here beforehand and want to help the community out a little bit.”
D’Adamo said he made connections during his first semester last spring. He also said he looks forward to maintaining those connections this year.
“I got to meet a bunch of friends who I'll have for the rest of my life,” D’Adamo said. “I got to make a lot of memories that I cherish, and I'm just excited for more.”