Purple, plastic carts rumbled over the sidewalks piled high with the baggage of new freshmen. Music blared and students in matching dorm T-shirts flashed smiles at the nervous and excited newcomers.
But move-in at the new Lund Family Hall looked different than at other dorms, as the purple carts struggled over sidewalks while construction continued just feet from the move-in activity.
Freshmen moved into the B-Wing of University of Portland’s newest dorm hall Thursday, with the A-wing scheduled to open in mid-October. Some students moved into the B-Wing even earlier for pre-Orientation activities like Service Plunge, and have been dealing with last minute fixes to the new dorm rooms.
Sophomore biology and English major Matt Schumann woke up last Thursday morning with a construction ladder right outside his room. Schumann has been living in an end-of-the-hall suite since last Tuesday and said he is generally not bothered by the construction taking place outside his window.
Schumann’s room features a large common living area and three bedrooms, two of which will be extended living triples until the new wing is completed. Schumann’s suitemate Tristan Peloquin added that construction only takes place during the day and does not bother the room in the morning or at night.
Other residents of the hall echoed Schumann’s sentiment. Freshman Katie Niedermeyer, a nursing major, felt a little anxious about living next to the construction, but said she already loves her new hall and said the decorations are “cute.”
Most parents, freshmen, residents of a few days and even future residents were choosing to focus on the positive dorm culture and community atmosphere rather than ongoing construction.
Sophomore Erin Faloon is currently living in Fields Hall but will move into the second Lund Hall wing when it opens later in the year.
“I already feel a sense of community and I’m not even in the dorm,” Faloon said.
Sophomore Kiley Gersch moved into Lund Hall on Tuesday to help with the Honors Program Freshman Orientation.
“I understand (the need for last-minute touch-ups),” Gersch said. “I would rather they actually be putting in the hours to finish it than letting it drag on. I think it’s beautiful so far.”
Workers have come into Gersch’s room to check over details, such as outlet covers and to put hooks on the doors. Gersch says it is strange to be greeted by a worker at your door, instead of a friend, but is fine with the disturbance.
Parents helping their Pilots move into the dorms were ready to point out the helpfulness of the resident assistants, the great location of the dorm and the general positive move-in atmosphere on campus.
Since Wing A is still under construction, some residents are currently living in “extended living rooms,” rooms originally designed for two residents that will be housing three. Freshman biology major Elizabeth Tripp will live in a Wing B extended living room for a few months before moving into her assigned room in the not-yet-completed Wing A.
Tripp says she is not setting down roots in the room yet, but is still moving many of her belongings in. She thought the move-in process went smoothly and already likes the culture of the dorm, which has been nicknamed “The Wolfpack”.
Tripp and Gersch both shared concerns about construction noise bothering them while studying, but are optimistic.
“(The noise) doesn’t bother me yet,” Gersch said. “Maybe it will when I’m studying, but so far it hasn’t been crazy.”
For now, Lund Hall residents will live with the noise and slight overcrowding as they look forward to the hall’s expected completion at the end of Fall Break.
