FINAL PUSH

Students arrived on the last move-in day before classes start Aug. 10

Photos by the fountain, a quick trip for supplies and hugs from parents and siblings wrapped up the final day of move in at East Carolina University.

Students — some of whom had never been to Greenville until Thursday because the pandemic disrupted planned visits — looked forward to exploring campus and living on their own. Parents and students hoped for a full semester after classes start on Aug. 10.

“We just looked online at the layout,” said Heather Berls, mother of Skylyn Pace, a freshman from Wilmington. Pace, an intended public health major, moved into Fletcher Residence Hall on Thursday, her first day on campus. She had planned to attend admitted student day in March until it was canceled. “Hopefully the semester can be as normal as possible with everything going on and they don’t get sent home.”

Twins Amanda and Kristen Sansone of Sparta, New Jersey, also were coming to campus for the first time. Both earned EMT certification at age 16 and plan to major in nursing. A friend from their hometown, ECU sophomore Madison Acuri, told them about campus and helped them move. “They never even saw the campus because of the pandemic,” Acuri said. “They took my word for it.”

The Sansones will be living apart for the first time on different floors in Fletcher. “We didn’t even think about living together,” Kristen said. “We’ve lived together forever, so we wanted to live apart.”

Their father advised using this cautionary time to get ahead and make good grades. “Take that time that you can’t do anything anyway and study,” said Jeff Sansone, who will quarantine when he returns home due to his state’s re-entry restrictions during the pandemic.

Masks, hand sanitizer and cleaning products were part of packing lists along with comforters, pillows, clothes, snacks and school supplies.

“I’m excited to just be here,” said Carson Jones, a planned elementary education major from Charlotte, who was moving into Greene Residence Hall. Her mother, Alison, said the morning had gone well. “It’s been fabulous. We haven’t seen another person. We parked right in front of the dorm,” she said. “I was thinking there would be a lot more people here. East Carolina has done a great job making it safe for everybody.”

Skylyn Pace of Wilmington and her mother, Heather Berls, unload items from a rolling bin outside of Pace’s room in Fletcher Residence Hall.

About 70% of students — nearly 3,600 out of 5,500 — participated in ECU’s early drop-off option on July 22-25 or July 29-Aug. 1, when items could be moved in by appointment and students went back home until this weekend. The early drop-off reduced the number of people on campus at one time, taking the pressure off traditional move in Aug. 5-6 while allowing for social distancing and an easier move-in experience overall, said Aaron Lucier, director of housing operations with ECU Campus Living.

Responses from families have been so positive that officials are considering ways to incorporate those features in a normal year.

“We will look at how we might be able to implement elements of the drop off process in a busier summer — with orientation and summer programs,” he said.

One parent who liked the early drop-off process was Kerri Leland, whose daughter, Maggie, an Honors College engineering major and soccer player from Buford, Georgia, moved in Gateway Residence Hall on July 24.

“There was so much about that day that I was impressed with,” Leland said. “The greatest thing I noticed was that there were almost no other students. After moving in sons twice, in two different states, I know that move-in day is usually shoulder-to-shoulder students and parents, jockeying for the elevator and a parking spot.”

Leland said they parked easily across the street, and there was clear signage directing them on where to go. “Families were not allowed to go inside for check-in. I have to be honest, the Facebook-mom in me was a little sad not to get the picture of her getting her dorm key, but it sent a very clear message that ECU was taking the health of the students seriously,” Leland said.

Her daughter also attended all the virtual open house and Q&A opportunities provided by Gateway, which helped tremendously in preparation. “Being able to see the space and ask questions helped relieve my concerns about moving in ‘sight unseen,’” Leland said.

Parent Dana Buie of Mount Holly also liked the early drop-off period. Her son, R.J., moved in his belongings to Scott Residence Hall on Aug. 1. As a sophomore, he had less stuff and the process was much smoother than last year, she said.

Buie is a nurse working on the COVID unit for Novant Health. She said she was worried at first, but saw the precautions that ECU is taking in following CDC guidelines. “I wouldn’t send him back if I wasn’t entirely comfortable,” she said.

Mica Carlton’s roommate also opted for early drop-off, so part of their room in Greene Hall was already arranged when she arrived Aug. 6.

Carlton, a freshman from Charlotte who plans to major in exercise physiology, said she picked ECU because it felt like home when she toured. “It was a different environment than any other university I looked into,” she said.

She said she is looking forward to student life — even if it will be different than normal because of the pandemic. She said she’s also looking forward to being on her own and taking the next step in adulthood.

“I hope the best for her,” said her father Mitchell Carlton. “She does her best and goes from there.”

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Tucker Davis, left, and Owen Chrisman, both freshmen from Washington, North Carolina, move a shelf into their room at Greene Residence Hall.

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