Although move-in day for first-year students went smoothly for the most part, at least one suitcase switcheroo did occur. One student had mistakenly picked up the wrong suitcase and now another student was missing her luggage. Word quickly spread among proctors in all eight first-year bricks to keep an eye out for the misplaced case.
“We have eyes and ears open in all the dorms,” a proctor reassured the mother of the suitcase-less student. ”Someone will realize in the next few days it is not theirs.”
Below are more snippets from conversations overheard as incoming students and their families arrived yesterday. Some of the anecdotes were shared by the upperclass proctors who worked through the heat and humidity to help move in and orient Bowdoin’s newest members.
Father: I love the bear (speaking about the stone polar bear in front of Smith Union).
Mother: It’s so cute.
A couple to a helpful staff person in Smith Union: Where do the grandparents check in?
Helpful staff person: Grandparents don’t need to check in.
Proctor: You can do that yourself!
First-year: Are roommates permanent?
Proctor: Yes, but only until May.
Proctor (to a father and first-year): Do you need help carrying things?
Dad: We surely do.
Proctor: I’m on it.
First-year: Where’s room 307?
Proctor: It doesn’t exist.
Proctor: No, not unless you want to keep track of it.
Another proctor: Or drop it in a lake!
Proctor: (speaking about a co-proctor in his building) He’s going above and beyond, helping people in other dorms.
Proctor: Someone moving in on the 2nd floor asked me why their door wasn’t open. It turned out it was my room, the proctor’s room that they were trying to get into.
Proctor: A dehydrated parent asked me if it was okay for him to have some water. I told him that “parent water” was over there. (She actually said yes and let him have a drink.)
Proctor to another proctor: How are you?
Other proctor: Feeling it, feeling it.
Proctor: A first-year brought an electric drum set. He said it would be a welcome contribution to the community.
First-year student to his mom: They offer so much more help here than at UMass!
Proctor: That’s what we want to hear.
Another proctor: I don’t know if that’s all that impressive.
Mother: Where are the pretty red dollies I can use to use to move in my daughter?
Parking duty attendant: A lot of people have asked where the permanent parking is.
Proctor: One parent said, “I feel like I have to leave now.” Parents don’t want to let go. When a parent realizes a child is leaving high school and becoming an adult, it’s a powerful moment.
Proctor (to first-year student): You okay?
First-year (lugging a box): Everything’s fine. Everything’s a-ok.
