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Posted on Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 2:22 p.m.

University of Michigan residence halls no longer silent as students return

By Kellie Woodhouse

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After months of quiet, dormitory halls at the University of Michigan this week are abuzz with activity as thousands of undergraduate students move in and prepare for the start of fall classes next week.

“It’s hectic, obviously, but it’s good,” said New York native Lori Schneider, who today moved her daughter Madeline, a freshman, into Couzens Hall, a newly rennovated residence hall on East Ann Street.

“That’s what makes it fun,” added Sandra Dunn, whose daughter Kelsey is Madeline’s roommate. “If everything was easy, it would be boring.”

Today, Thursday and Friday more than 7,000 undergraduate students will move into their dorms, while another 3,000 other students will move in other days. Additionally, 1,300 graduate students are also moving into on-campus apartments.

More than 850 student volunteers, called Move-in Makers, help carry boxes and sign students in during the move-in process.

To ease congestion, the university agreed to pay the city $10,450 for permission to alter the flow of traffic on 12 streets that run near or through campus. Additionally, the university staggers move-in based on dormitory and class, a practice that has been in used since 1994.

“They are incredibly organized,” said Washington, D.C., resident Deb Johns, whose son Gibson Johns is a freshman this year. “It takes the angst out of the adjustment period.”

Johns said her son specifically requested Couzens Hall, in part because of its recent renovation. The residence hall was closed last year for extensive renovations and updates to its infrastructure. Once an all-female dorm, the residence hall is now co-ed.

“Everybody’s thrilled about it,” Johns said of the renovated dorm.

Peter Logan, a spokesman for university housing, said that Couzens, which can house up to 525 students, was heavily requested by returning students this fall due to its recent renovation.

“Everything is brand new,” said Sal Aiello, a sophomore Move-in Maker who helped sign students into the dorm. “All the couches and stuff aren’t broken-in, the carpet doesn’t have stains on it yet.”

But Aillo said that even the newly renovated dorm couldn’t escape the usual mess and frenzy that accompanies move-in week.

“If you walk the halls it’s absolute chaos,” Aillo said.

“Getting stuff in was the easy part,” said incoming freshman and Boston native Tess Gatof. The hallway to Gatof’s room was filled with piles of overstuffed boxes and containers. “It’s just getting things into a confined space that’s a little challenging.”

Gatof said that in the span of two hours she had configured her room 15 times in an attempt to make all her belongings fit inside.

Julie Sherman, from California, said that student volunteers made the moving process for her daughter, Leah Sherman, a freshman, easier than she anticipated.

“It was seamless,” Sherman said. “Without them, it would be so stressful, we wouldn’t know what to do.” Classes begin on Sept. 6. A move-in schedule is posted on the university’s website.

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602.

Comments

Smart Logic

Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 9:29 a.m.

The student volunteers with orange shirts bear resemblance to a chain gang.

Mick52

Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 2:15 a.m.

The rug rats are here! The rug rats are here!

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