Students around Eastern had a busy day Thursday as they moved into their new homes for the year.

Panther Pals and resident assistants were on hand to help students and their families move in on their big day.

Austin Van Pelt, a sophomore communication studies major, was one of the many Panther Pals helping students move their belongings into Weller Hall.

“I want to see the new faces,” Van Pelt said. “I’m looking forward to meeting new people and showing them around.”

Amy Barnes, a sophomore early childhood education major, was also a Panther Pal for Weller Hall.

Barnes said when she was a freshman, the Pals helped her with the stress of moving in to Eastern for the first time.

“I thought [the Panther Pals] were helpful when I was a student,” Barnes said. “It helped me calm down and settle into Eastern.”

Checking new residents into Andrews Hall, Missy Stone, a second-year RA, said the day had been busy, but the excitement made everything easier.

Stone said her goals for the new year are to start off strong, get her residents involved and to be more team-oriented with the other RAs.

Morgan Fitzwater, a sophomore accounting major and transfer student, and her new roommate Faith Scott, a freshman family and consumer sciences major, moved into Andrews Hall on Thursday.

The two met through RoomSync and were introduced this summer at a lunch they planned before the school year started.

“[Moving in] was super weird, different and jam-packed,” Fitzwater said. “Everyone was super helpful, and it went really smoothly, so that was nice.”

Fitzwater said it was weird to move, since she had lived with her parents for her entire life before this school year.

Scott said she had the goals of making new friends, getting involved in student government and volunteering with children.

“I’m looking forward to getting involved, but I’m not looking forward to the class load,” Scott said. “I know it’ll be a lot different from high school when I didn’t have to try as much, so this will be a shelter shock.”

Adina Viele, a freshman English major, had her sister Nerissa to help her settle into her dorm room in Andrews.

Adina Viele said moving in was exciting and nerve-racking, but she is looking forward to taking classes for her major.

“I’m excited to start learning and to have a different perspective from high school,” Adina Viele said.

Abbey Whittington can be reached at 581-2812 or anwhittington@eiu.edu