After a ten hour road trip from Connecticut, Michael Carafotes and his dad — also Michael Carafotes — arrived at Elon. The younger Michael is starting his freshman year at Elon and was one of the first freshman students to move Aug. 23 into East Neighborhood.
He said he was initially drawn to Elon after matching with the university through online questionnaires and knowing friends who have attended. Michael said he was excited to jump right into orientation and classes.
“I like how they have the orientation when you get here, not over the summer and then you come back,” Michael said.
His father said it was reassuring to see how organized the move-in process was, with different student groups working together to bring every one’s luggage to their rooms.
“The nerves went away when you got here and saw how nice everybody was,” elder Michael said.
In addition to orientation leaders and resident assistants, student athletes are also helping students move in.
Jennifer Strawley, Elon’s Athletic Director, spent the morning of Aug. 23 visiting different neighborhoods to help students. To Strawley, having students help with move-in is a testament to the university’s commitment to its students.
“I talk a lot with our student athletes, our coaches and our staff about how we want to have a culture where we care for each other, we support each other, we’re there for each other. But we also want to hold each other accountable,” Strawley said. “This really focuses in on that we care about this campus and we care about the people and we’re going to be integrated and involved and engaged in what’s going on in the community with our students and on our campus.”
Strawley said her favorite part of helping on move-in day is seeing freshman experience campus as an Elon student for the first time.
“It’s just really special to see young people when they’re about to begin their college journey. Take that moment to have that first feel and touch with Elon,” Strawley said.
East Neighborhood is the newest residential neighborhood on campus and this fall marks the opening of East’s newest building, East Commons. Meghan McLaughlin is especially excited to be moving into the new building after seeing it in construction through past visits to campus.
“I’m so excited,” McLaughlin said. “It’s nice to live somewhere new.”
McLaughlin’s older sister, Emma McLaughlin, is a junior at Elon and Meghan said visiting her on campus is what sparked her initial interest in attending the university.
“It’s a lot of fun. I look at my freshman experience and I definitely compare it a lot to hers,” McLaughlin said. “She already knows a lot going in and I’m really excited for her.”
Outside of the dorm buildings, WSOE — Elon’s student-run radio station — set up speakers where they were taking song requests and advertising the club. WSOE’s personnel director, senior Keely Platts, was one of the students manning WSOE’s table in East.
“We love to share the station and get first years interested,” Platts said. “We do song requests so they can hear music they want to hear as they move in. We’re here to bring the good vibes.”
Platts said it’s rewarding to help set the energy for orientation leaders, freshman students and their families.
“Go into this year and give it your all,” Platts said.