An estimated 880 freshmen and 61 transfer students moved onto the Lander University campus on Tuesday, August 14, and by all accounts, the process went smoothly.
"It's going well," said Lander Police Chief Greg Allen, as he directed traffic outside Centennial Hall. "Hopefully we'll get this crowd moved in pretty quickly."
Allen said that two innovations this year - having room keys available on-site and staggering move-in times by residence halls - were "a big help."
Tracy Clifton, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, credited the assistance of 162 student, staff and faculty volunteers with making Freshman Move-In Day a success. She said that 23 City of Greenwood volunteers, including Mayor Brandon Smith and City Manager Julie Wilkie, also pitched in.
Clifton said that a positive attitude on the part of volunteers is also part of a winning formula.
"A question that we asked at the freshman volunteer meeting that we had was 'can you be really hot, sweaty and tired, and still keep a smile on your face at the same time?'" It's important, she said, that volunteers "be a source of encouragement and try to lift everybody up."
Ashley Lucas, of Chapin, said she volunteered because of the help that she got herself as a freshman.
"I don't have a lot of people in my family who can help me move heavy things," she said. The assistance that she received from the volunteers present that day "really helped me out a lot," she said.
Lauren Litchfield, of Moncks Corner, said that volunteers help new students "not feel so overwhelmed."
Several of the new students were asked how they felt about beginning a new chapter in their lives at Lander. "Super excited," said Paige Wisebaker, a transfer student from Queens University in Charlotte, who will play on the women's rugby team.
Chipley Hall resident Camila Rivas, of Fort Mill, was asked what she was looking forward to most eagerly.
"Probably classes, just learning new stuff," she said.
According to Clifton, what students gain from living on campus can be just as valuable as what they learn in the classroom. They learn "what it's like to be a part of a community," she said.
There are other benefits as well.
"It opens up the door in terms of networking, getting to know a lot more students, and developing that feeling of comfort and connection with the university as a whole," she said.