Move-in day is a time for new Aztecs to meet their roommates, put together their small dorm rooms and sweat profusely from walking up endless flights of stairs. Move-in day is definitely an exciting time for all newly admitted Aztecs. However, what goes into creating this memorable day? What exactly happens before new Aztecs move in?
Approximately two weeks before new residents move in, residential advisors go through an extensive training to prepare for the new school year. No matter which dorm or residential facility a RA may be working at, each individual undergoes specific training sessions. The goal in doing this is to prepare the student RA’s for all that they should expect in the upcoming year.
The training includes knowing the policies that accompany living in the halls, proper food preparation, simulation of possible incidents that could occur, emergency procedures and much more. These two weeks are also filled with various workshops instructing RA’s on how to deal with issues like roommate conflicts, depression or home sickness.
Biology junior Amber Wilson will be going into her second year as a RA, and said that an immeasurable amount of work goes into move-in day.
“The residential education staff works tirelessly to provide a memorable experience for both the resident and their family,” Wilson said.
Naturally, move-in day is a very hectic and lively day. With the large dorms like Chapultepec, that can house over 800 residents, the day is especially crazy. So with such a large event, it’s imperative that RAs are organized and on top of their game.
While residents are moving into their rooms, the residential staff is running around from station to station assisting with the move-in process and making sure everything is going smoothly.
“At the end of the day, we are all beyond exhausted, but we also have fun meeting the new residents,” Wilson said. “It’s exciting to see other residents excited about starting college.”
Public administration and sociology junior Nancy Nguyen is a returning RA, and will be living in University Towers for the upcoming school year. Even though an enormous amount of energy goes into move-in day, Nguyen said it is always very exciting to see new faces.
“This is a time of transition for all the residents, so it’s a beautiful thing,” she said.
Not only is there a monumental amount of organizational work needed prior to move in day, but there is also a lot of work put into the RA and resident relationship.
All RAs remember what move-in day was like, and many of them remember just how bittersweet that day was.
Nguyen knows how hard move-in day can be for residents, so she believes it’s important to remember those tough feelings in order to build a relationship with her residents.
“I try to mimic those feelings on move-in day,” Nguyen said.
So on move-in day, always remember to lift with the legs, not with the back. However, it is also important to acknowledge the amount of work that goes into making this memorable day happen.
“We try to make it a home away from home,” Nguyen said.
