EWING -- While move-in day has been plagued with rain for the past few years at The College of New Jersey, students of the class of 2018 were able to settle into their dorm rooms today with dry clothes and linens.
First-year students and their families moved clothes, bedding, microwaves, mini refrigerators and an assortment of other belongings from the parking lots to the housing halls. But despite the lucky break in the weather, emotions were running high on this momentous day in the life of parents and their offspring.
“It’s bittersweet,” said Jerry Dorfman of Long Island, who helped moved his daughter, Laurel, into the freshmen dorms today. “It’s not like she hasn’t been away before. She’s away at camp every summer for the last twelve years, but this is more permanent.”
His wife, Harriet, however, expressed a different sentiment.
"I wish I was moving in," she said. "I remember when I moved into college. It was great."
TCNJ is welcoming 1,436 freshmen this year, and roughly 1,100 of them moved onto campus today, college spokeswoman Emily Dodd said. Upperclassmen move onto campus on Sunday.
Flanked by blue and gold balloons — the school’s colors — and greeted by student volunteers, new students and their families rolled luggage bags, carried plastic containers and even dragged black garbage bags full of belongings into the buildings.
Those with rooms on the lower floors trudged toward the stairs, while others assigned spaces higher up stood in line for the elevator.
Dorfman solicited the help of three volunteers from the crew team to carry some of her luggage into Travers and Wolfe residence halls. Members of fraternities, sororities, clubs and sports groups who already had the experience of moving in were scattered across campus, jumping at opportunities to assist.
“We’ve been hanging around the parking garages and parking lots,” said 19-year-old sophomore Brian Connor.
“We’re just trying to organize the chaos and help anybody out,” added 20-year-old junior Jason Palermo.
Noting the favorable weather, short lines into the dorms, less than five-minute waiting times for the elevators, ample available parking and essentially no traffic, today’s move-in day was the smoothest that Sean Stallings, assistant vice president of student affairs, has seen in his 14 years at the college.
“The factors are certainly in our favor,” he said. “Things have been just seemingly going a lot better. So many variables are in our favor that I think that is going to make for a good experience for families and students.”
A couple of changes to the annual freshman welcome were also made this year, Stallings said, including allowing students living on the top two floors of Travers and Wolfe halls to move in a day early — Wednesday — in order to alleviate congestion.
Another change this year was mandating that emergency contact and health information be submitted electronically prior to move-in day.
The speedy intake process was appreciated by freshmen like Emily Loevy, 18, of Point Pleasant and her parents Kim and Dan. But moving proved to be a draining task for many yesterday with temperatures in the low 80s and overcast skies.
“It’s been hot and everything’s heavy. The first thing I want to unpack is the fan right now,” Emily said as she waited in line for the elevator with crates resting in front of her full of pillows and clothes.
Her parents each stood with their own carts loaded with containers filled with belongings, and they added that it was only their second of three trips.
“I think we have maybe a little too much stuff, but we’ll see once we get up there,” Kim said.
Looking around at the others waiting in line, Dan jokingly interjected, “It seems everybody’s got a little too much stuff, so we don’t feel too bad.”
New students at Rider University move onto campus on Aug. 31 and returning students move in on Sept. 1 and 2. Students at Princeton University participating in pre-orientation activities move in Aug. 30. Students not participating in pre-orientation and returning students move in on Sept. 6.
Kelly Johnson may be reached at kjohnson@njtimes.com. Follow The Times of Trenton on Twitter @TimesofTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.