New Huskies excited to move into housing on Northeastern’s Oakland campus
Moving crews worked under sunny skies as they pushed red carts loaded with the personal belongings of the more than 750 students.
OAKLAND, Calif. — A year ago, Kaitlyn Lewald helped her older brother William move into housing on Northeastern University’s Oakland campus. Sunday, she moved her own things into a room on the campus.
“Boys bring less stuff than girls so far,” said Tina Lewald, Kaitlyn’s mother. While Tina helped Kaitlyn move in on the Oakland campus, Kaitlyn’s father was helping her brother move in on the Boston campus. “It’s been an emotional trip,” said Tina, balancing a desk lamp on her hip. She and Kaitlyn found some storage containers and other useful items in the Reuse Depot, where students can acquire donated necessities for free.
Joining Kaitlyn on Sunday were some 500 more new Huskies, plus another 250 on Saturday, moving into double or single rooms and getting settled. Students and their families explored campus under sunny skies while movers pushed red moving carts loaded with personal belongings.
A huge welcome sign greeted new students and their families as they entered campus, and white moving vans lined the campus’s main boulevard, Richards Road. Families were greeted by staff at information booths who gave students their room assignments. Staff and faculty at other tables helped connect students with information about recreational facilities and student clubs.
“We flew in on Friday and the movers came and moved all my stuff into my room,” said James Hanstedt, a computer science major from Lexington, Virginia. “Now I’m exploring campus. I’m going on a tour of the makerspace in 12 minutes.”
When James and his dad, Paul, flew to California on Friday, it was James’s first trip to the Bay Area. First, they visited San Francisco and then came to campus, where James moved into a room in Warren Olney Hall. James is the third and youngest child in the family.
“His dad refuses to leave, which is complicating things,” Paul joked with a wry smile. “But I’m leaving soon.”
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Other students and families grabbed some final moments together on campus before saying goodbye. Alexa Delgado and her parents drove up to Oakland from Orange County in Southern California on Saturday. Movers were waiting to greet them when they arrived, which was especially helpful because Alexa’s room is in a building up a steep hill.
“We were very happy that they were able to bring all our stuff because her dorm is kind of up high,” said Alexa’s mom, Veronica.
“I pretty much brought my whole room,” Alexa joked.
Alexa and her parents enjoyed lunch together in Founders Commons before Veronica and Alexa’s dad, Kenji Delgado, left to return home. Alexa is their youngest child.
“It’s not easy to drop her off, but it’s the last time,” Veronica said. “I’m happy because she’s happy.”
Some students were already starting their college experience by Sunday afternoon. Engineering major Salila Cintron moved to campus on Wednesday to participate in a pre-orientation leadership retreat. Cintron and other student leaders will help welcome other freshmen.
In addition to the leadership retreat, Cintron has attended other activities, including a make-your-own stuffed husky workshop and a social with a chocolate fountain.
“That was really good,” she said between bites of salad.
Brian Le and Sebastian Panek are roommates from New Jersey and New York. They moved in on Saturday when movers were available to help students haul their belongings into their rooms.
“We were lucky. We didn’t have to do anything,” Le said. “It was pretty smooth.”
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