GAINESVILLE -- With classes set to start Monday at Brenau University in Gainesville, new students got their first taste of the school during "Move-In Day" on Wednesday.
Incoming freshmen and transfer students were on hand for much of the day moving into to the dorm buildings across the downtown campus as well as getting introduced to various student organizations. Brenau Director of Freshman Admissions Annie Johnston said this year's incoming class has grown from last year's numbers.
"Last year we had about 150, 160 maybe, new students for freshmen, and then this year we have about 275 new freshmen," Johnston said.
Overall, she said, about 400 new students were expected to enroll in the school for the fall semester. She said the staff's goal was to make the day a fun event.
"We try to make everything really lively and fun so that energy stays high," Johnston said. "The new students have been really excited, they're all wearing their 'Brenau Bound' t-shirts that we gave them."
Students were moving in to Brenau from not only across the region and state, but some from across the country. One of those was biology major Meghan Mistric.
"I've been in New Orleans for all my life, so I'm getting ready for a new adventure," Mistric said. "I love it here, everybody's so nice.
Fellow biology major Ananda Skyers said the move in process wasn't easy and took plenty of time.
"About two hours...I feel like it's not going to end, but it's going to end soon," Skyers said.
Theatre production and design major Mel Reily said she had just started moving in, but said she already had a lot of interaction with the college's staff.
"Everybody wants you to be involved in everything, there's so many booths at the check-in center," Reily said. "Everyone wants you to feel welcomed and to feel at home here, so it's really cool."
The school held the "Move-In Day" greeting at the Northeast Georgia History Center nearby from 8:30 until 10:30 a.m. and many other students, including several student athletes, came to help the new students.
Johnston said the school has noticed some trends with the incoming crop of freshmen.
"We have a lot of health science, a lot of pre-nursing majors. Health science is pretty big right now, everyone wants to be a doctor or nurse. We have a lot of theatre students as well," Johnston said.
