East Neighborhood welcomed first-year students for the second time when the class of 2023 moved in Friday, Aug. 23.
Move in started at 8 a.m. on the third floor, with students moving in their belongings and some even meeting their roommates for the first time.
Dre Coyne and Sharon Rowland both from New England met in person for the first time today.
“I thought I was going to be catfished! I said is it too good to be true? And I was like, 'Oh no!'” Rowland said.
“We met like what an hour ago but it seems like we have known each other for so long,” Coyne said.
But for some students like Steph Carolan, from Pennsylvania, her journey to get far away from home fell short, when her family moved down to the North Carolina with her.
“My dad has always wanted to move south,” Carolan said. “He ended up applying for a few jobs down here and he got a job down here just as I was picking my colleges and so it just ended up that they are 15 -20 minutes away from home now or here at Elon, so they are a little bit closer than I expected but it works out.”
And for Carolan the move to a new school as well as a new home was a big adjustment.
“Knowing that I wouldn’t have a home to go back there with all of my friends there but I was excited for a big change I think I need something else,” Carolan said. “It was a big mental preparation, beside the physical packing of it all up the house and packing up the dorm but I was like really more motivated to go to a new place.”
For freshman Alfred Letts his move in to Elon had odd family ties.
“My uncle went [to Elon] but…he got kicked out so I was like I have no interest in this school,” Letts said. “But as soon as I walked on campus, I saw how beautiful it was and everything and I was like this is not what I expected and I was like I love this place.”
Other freshman in East like roommates Timmy Gies and Eli Stoudt were sharing fears as well as goals for the year.
“I’m really nervous about the food I mean it looks good but I’m a foodie,” Stoudt said.
“I’m really just looking to graduate that’s a big goal of mine,” Gies added.
And while it was a big day for the class of 2023, for some families, like the Labajetta family, it was harder than just moving boxes.
Delany Labajetta, whose older sister, Chailey Labajetta, moved into the East neighborhood this morning said the morning was particularly emotional.
“Honestly she is like one of my best friends so it’s going to definitely be difficult not having her, not having her right next to me,” Labajetta said holding back tears.
But while there were new beginnings, for senior Kennedy Little it was brought back memories of her move in and what advice she would give herself now.
“I think just move in getting to know your neighbors getting to know everyone around you and kind of just getting to experience everyone on your floor and trying to make friend because the people you live with those are going to be your first friend at Elon,” Little said.