The parking lot outside Esopus Hall is lined with cars and bright orange bins, as students and their parents take turns lugging or rolling gear into their dorms. Other moms, like Karen Fall, are pros at this by now. She’s already moved one kid into college — her eldest daughter, at SUNY Oneonta last year. Now, she’s standing by her car, patiently waiting for her daughter Jessica to wrap up her move-in-paperwork.
“Now what am I gonna do next year, when I have two of them as returning students, and they’re gonna have to move in the same day, probably?" Fall laughs. "Then what do we do? I don’t know.”
SUNY New Paltz says it welcomed more than 2,000 new undergraduate and graduate students Thursday.
Esopus Hall is a freshmen dorm with a “living learning community” of students studying business. Incoming freshman Harper Yi, from Hopewell, says having that common ground puts her at ease a little.
"I’m looking forward to [the school year]," she says. "I was nervous, but now that I have everything situated and know where I’m gonna go, I really like it.”
Yi moved in with the help of her sister, who is starting her first year at the University of Connecticut tomorrow. Their mom, Kristen Rahilly, says the move in went by quicker than she expected.
“I was grasping at reasons to stay," she smiles. "It’s hard. This is our first experience with this, and their twins, so it’s not just one kid going to college. It’s two!”
Over at the College Terrace building, the school has a send-off event where students can take pictures with their families, sign banners, eat snacks, and make trinkets their parents can remember them by. Incoming freshman Connor Andersen says coming to SUNY New Paltz actually means he’ll be closer to his mom. It’s part of why he chose the school.
“She’s my best friend. I’ve missed her a lot," he notes.
Andersen says he’s excited for his college career. He plans to study early childhood education.
“I’m glad to be finally feeling like I’m going somewhere where I want to go and somewhere that will get me to my job," he smiles.
Back at the dorms, move-in at Scudder Hall is starting to slow down. Evan Klein is moving in his daughter, Sienna.
“It’s a really interesting day as a parent," he explains. "It’s emotional, because there’s this balance between [being] excited for your child, and at the same time, I’m gonna miss her terribly. We’re very close. So the feeling of wanting her to do new things and enjoy life is greater than me wanting to keep her at home and just hang out with her.”
Senior economics major Nick Zollo transferred to SUNY New Paltz last year, and is part of a “welcome crew” helping new students with their boxes. He has some advice for the new arrivals.
“Socialize. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there," he says. "Last year, I went up to tables at the dining hall, said, ‘Hey, can I sit here?’ That’s how I made friends. Talk to your neighbors, get to know your roommate. It’s probably the best way to socialize. And then you know, go to parties. Don’t go crazy, but parties are a good way to meet people.”
Classes start on Monday. SUNY New Paltz says roughly 7,200 undergraduate and graduate students have enrolled for the fall semester.
