Students are beginning to return to college campuses across the region, with freshman move-in days and orientations held this week at several schools.
At Rochester Institute of Technology, the Class of 2029 arrived Monday morning with cars full of luggage, boxes, and dorm furniture.
It’s an occasion marked by a range of emotion.
“If I’m being honest, the other day I was on the verge of tears, like, I don’t wanna go to school,” said incoming freshman Antonio Becker. Becker is from Westchester and plans to study materials science.
“But now that I’m here, it’s actually, it’s chill. It's fine. It’s good.”
RIT officials say move-in day is as much an adjustment for parents as it is for students.
“A little nervous? That’s ok!” said Sandy Johnson, senior vice president for student affairs. “As I tell them, you’ve packed all of their worldly belongings, and probably some mystery things, but they’ll get through it and we’ve got it from here.”
RIT is welcoming thousands of new students this year. Jalen Bertrand, from Queens, is among them. He is interested in RIT’s cybersecurity program, and said the biggest adjustment may be the change in climate.
“I haven't experienced the cold weather, because all the times I do come up here, it's in the summer, but I think I’m prepared. I have my winter gear and everything,” Bertrand said.
Other colleges across the Rochester area are also holding freshman move-in events this week.
Classes at RIT begin next week.
