Jamie Forzato, wtop.com
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – It’s the event students dream of, and parents dread: college move-in weekend.
Thousands of incoming freshman are lugging their televisions, computers, clothes, and maybe a book or two, from every corner of the world into their dorm rooms this weekend at the University of Maryland, College Park.
“I’ve been counting down the days since orientation so I’m really excited to move in,” says Chris Frezza, a freshman business management and kinesiology major.
The students are meeting their roommates and saying goodbye to mom and dad, who aren’t taking the change so easily.
“It’s difficult. It’s really difficult,” says Tracy Loyd, who was dropping off her son. “I could tell he’s been trying to separate himself from us this summer but today’s been a little stressful. It’ll be hard. But we have one more at home so I’ll be sticking to him tight the next four years.”
Since they can’t possibly take their whole life with them, what are the most essential items they’ll need for the next four years?
“My iPod dock stereo system. You gotta have music,” says Keaton Mock Myers, a freshman civil engineering major.
Lea Stern, a freshman psychology major, says a computer and a lock for it is most important for her.
“He’s got a big screen television,” says Thomas Loyd, father of an 18-year-old freshman. “That was the most important to him.”
At the College Park campus, the Class of 2016 includes about 4,000 enrolled freshman who had an A-/B+ high school grade point average. University of Maryland students come from more than 130 countries around the world.
The first day of class is Wednesday, Aug. 29.
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