third roomie is Deborah Wash, first year psycho bio
Students and families spilled into the dorms and took over apartments in Westwood from Friday to Sunday, pushing carts and carrying boxes and luggage.
Move-in weekend was officially underway.
For the Hill, ORL began preparations for move-in weekend six to eight months before move-in, said Manaf Mansure, coordinator for the first-year experience.
Certain programs were in place to accommodate the influx of students and families to the Hill over the weekend, said Allison McComb, director for the first-year experience.
More than 750 student move-in assistants helped ease the transition by cheering on students as they arrived, directing them around the Hill and decorating their floors, Mansure said.
Many of the move-in assistants were new students themselves who had gotten to know the campus through participating in summer programs, he said.
“We wouldn’t be able to do it without the move-in assistants,” Mansure said.
Welcome lounges were available to parents, families and caregivers, where they could meet parent and family volunteers and faculty members, Mansure said. The lounges were created to help families feel more comfortable with the campus, he said.
Smaller programs were also set up for parents and families of out-of-state and international students, Mansure said.
Among activities and programs in place for students was a vendor fair on the Sunset Village lawn, McComb said. Students could see products from stores nearby, including Ikea, Target and Pottery Barn.
Although the Hill is seeing its largest population of students this year, McComb said move-in went fairly according to plan.
Early move-in for the dorms began Thursday night. By Sunday night, 95 percent of students living on the Hill had moved in, she said.
“It feels like I’m going to camp, and I’ll be back in a few weeks,” said Amelia Rudnicki, a first-year undeclared student. “It doesn’t feel real.”
The Daily Bruin caught five moments while following a day of move-in weekend on the Hill.
Compiled by Kylie Reynolds
Family
First-year American literature and culture student Kelly Lennon is standing outside Hedrick Hall saying a final good-bye to her family. She’s the first of her siblings to go to college.
Her father Ken, a UCLA alumnus, recalls his first move-in experience.
“My dad actually cried. As soon as I was all moved in, he asked if I wanted to go home for a bit before school started. I said “˜No,’ of course,” Ken Lennon said, laughing.
Ken met his wife Erin at UCLA in 1985. Both said they felt like they were becoming a Bruin family.
Lennon’s younger brother, Kenny, said he hopes to be next in line.
“I’ll miss Kelly a lot,” he said. “But who knows? Maybe I’ll be here in a few years.”
Assistants
The Hercules song “A Star is Born” is blasting from speakers.
Around 15 students in bright yellow shirts are bouncing up and down, straining their voices to yell as cars full of students and parents drive into the De Neve parking lot.
“My favorite part is seeing the parents smile ““ Âit’s like they know they’re leaving their kids in a good place,” said Yuong Thong, a second-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student and move-in assistant.
First-year communications studies student LeeAnn Patrick said one of her favorite parts of the job is observing parent-student interactions.
“A lot of parents try to take photos of their kids outside the buildings, but the kids just get really embarrassed,” Patrick said. “Then there’s other people who see you cheering for them and they’re like “˜Uh, I’m a third-year.’ It’s like, does it really matter? We’re just welcoming you back home.”
RAs
Gerald Wang and Mikayla Mejia were at UCLA almost a month before move-in weekend, training for their new position as resident assistants in Hedrick Summit.
One of the most important things they learned during their training was how to set the right tone when meeting parents and students for the first time, said Wang, a fourth-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student.
“I want to make them feel comfortable in their new homes and also really excited about school. I just try to be really energetic,” Wang said.
Mejia, a fourth-year international development studies student, said she feels like the first-year students are excited enough for the both of them.
“You hand them papers about upcoming events and they’re just like “˜Oh my god, we have stuff to do,'” Mejia said.
The RAs have already planned a variety of events to help their residents bond in the weeks ahead, including trips to local eatery Diddy Riese, movie nights and alcohol education “mocktail” parties.
Parents
The front desk of Hedrick Hall is surrounded by swarms of parents.
Ari Williams, a Hedrick Court front desk assistant and third-year international development studies student, said parents asked a lot of questions, including if their children could fit a washer and dryer in their triple residence hall.
“Understandably, they’re very worried about security and all that stuff,” Williams said. “Some parents lose their kids, many are worried about space restrictions.”
Mostly though, Williams said, there’s just a lot of excitement from everybody involved.
Friends
Paolo Veneracion is visiting his friend Eddie Bruner in Dykstra Hall. Veneracion, a first-year pre-business and economics student, and Bruner, a first-year psychobiology student, immediately declare they are best friends.
But Veneracion decided not to live in the dorms for his first year. He moved into an apartment on Gayley Avenue.
“You wanna know why?” he said, grinning. “I’m a troublemaker. I don’t wanna deal with an RA.”
A few days ago he hosted an apartment party and more than 40 people came, he said.
“This is what college is all about, hanging out and jamming to music.”
Roommates
First-year art student Ashley Butler is on the phone with her mother. She moved to UCLA a little less than a week ago to work as a move-in assistant.
“I miss her already,” Butler said. “I call a couple times a day, and she surprised me by visiting the other day.”
One of Butler’s roommates, first-year undeclared student Paola Lule, said she’s also received check-in calls from her mom.
Their third roommate, first-year psychobiology student Deborah Wash, laughs.
The last interaction between Wash and her mom was not quite as loving, she said.
Instead, it involved a lot of yelling.
“We were stressed out because we moved in kind of late,” Wash said.
The new roommates are still in the midst of the move-in process. Clothes are splayed out on their dorm floor, along with empty BRITA water filter boxes.
“It’s really strange to suddenly live with two other people,” Lule said. “You’re used to having your own space and bathroom, and suddenly you’re sharing everything.”
Lule quickly added she felt lucky to have such courteous roommates and floormates.
“I’ve definitely already made some lifelong friends,” Butler said.
“Wow really? How do you know?” Wash said.
“It’s college. It’s where you meet your friends for life,” Butler said.
Compiled by Kate Parkinson-Morgan