Cars are packed to the brim, and residence halls are buzzing across the region, as thousands of local college students are officially moved in.
“Over a thousand of them are moving in just today. So, it’s a big deal, lots of excitement, lots of families bringing students in from all over the country and all over the world,” Lehigh University Vice President for Communications, Brett Ludwig says.
At Lehigh University, officials say more than 1,600 new students are stepping onto campus with plenty of backup.
“We get to sort of just bring the energy, bring the hype,” Senior & Orientation Coordinator Matt Schafer says. “We’re helping people move in, moving furniture, moving boxes, helping people park. We try to make it seamless so that people like me, who felt maybe a little nervous going into college, they can just go right in and hopefully feel like they’re at home.”
About an hour north at East Stroudsburg University, the crowd was just as big. ESU President Kenneth Long says this year they’re expecting around 1,400 freshmen.
“In total, we’ll have about 6,000 students. So, it’ll be the largest number of students we had on campus since well before the pandemic,” President Long says.
While students and staff unpack, seniors reflect on their first time stepping on campus and leaders share simple advice.
“It’s really nostalgic to see the freshmen move in with their families and to watch them experience that first move-in day energy,” senior Cabrina Burnette says.
“First priority, go to class. Go to class, do that first,” President Long adds. “Meet people; that’s second. and get engaged.”