UMaine welcomes 1,500 freshmen with community spirit

The college’s move-in day is known as ‘Maine Hello’ and aims to help students have an easier time settling into school, according to faculty.

ORONO, Maine — The school year is just around the corner, and the University of Maine is buzzing with excitement as close to 1,500 incoming freshmen arrived on campus Friday, ready to begin their college journey.

Move-in day at the Orono campus is always a big moment, and this year was no different. With vehicles packed full of essentials — from bedding to posters — students and families made their way to dorms to settle in.

“I got a bunch of NASCAR stuff I’m gonna put all over, and so that’ll be fun to make this place my own,” said Ian St. Germain, one of the many new students getting his room set up.

Helping make the day run smoothly were more than 400 UMaine volunteers, including students, staff, and faculty.

“Volunteers really provide a position of support,” said Harris Magee, a junior. “We help them get settled, get into their rooms, get into a routine.”

University President Joan Ferrini-Mundy was also on hand, emphasizing how these introductions set the tone for the years ahead.

“This is how they get to know how kind and caring we are at this place and how important their membership in this community will be,” she said.

Volunteers did more than carry boxes, though; they also pointed out campus essentials, such as dining halls, laundry rooms, and restrooms, helping students feel at home from the start.

“It’s a great way to get them acquainted with campus and realize they can ask anybody,” Ben Novick, one of the volunteer leaders, said.

For Jack Downs from Kittery, the move-in experience was especially welcoming. His friend from home, Jackson Adams, now a junior at UMaine, was one of the volunteers ready to get him set up in his dorm room.

“It was perfect — it was like a relief of stress right when I saw him coming to my car,” Downs said.

“It’s nice to be able to give back and help other people move in,” Adams added. “To be a familiar face.”

It’s not only a chance to give back to fellow students, but also to reassure parents who are dropping their kids off, sometimes hundreds of miles away.

“This is a really hard day for a lot of parents,” said Kim Marston, whose daughter Casey is starting her first year. “Just knowing that she’s in good hands makes me feel good.”

“It’s important that the parents see this day run really smoothly,” added Andrea Gifford, UMaine Dean of Students. “Everybody is coming out to support their student and show we’ve got this.”

The weekend will give incoming students more time to explore, settle in, and get comfortable before classes officially begin on Tuesday.

“We’re all Black Bears, and we’re all here to enjoy this campus,” Gifford said.

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