It’s the most wonderful time of the year: The leaves start changing colors, the weather gets crisp and the University of Oregon’s newest Ducks move into their residence halls.
They arrived by the thousands throughout the day on Thursday, Sept. 24. In coordination with the massive migration, hundreds of students, faculty and members of the UO community volunteered for the annual Unpack the Quack effort — something that has become a celebrated UO tradition over the past several years.
More than 400 hundred volunteers in Duck-green shirts stood at the ready to help families unload their cars and direct them to the right buildings. The freshman class comes from 44 states and 37 countries, and while almost 3,000 of them will arrive today, some were able to move in earlier in the week if they planned to volunteer with Unpack the Quack.
“The buzz at the UO is just awesome and I’m excited to be a part of it,” said Megan Wyatt, a native of Hillsboro who moved into her room on Monday and was helping students move in at the Global Scholars Hall. “(Volunteering) is a great way to get to know people.”
The goal of Unpack the Quack isn’t only to help parents and students heave boxes full of college essentials to their rooms, but also to foster a welcoming and enthusiastic atmosphere for students who are about to leave home for the first time and start anew in Eugene.
“This is our Super Bowl,” said Leah Andrews, director of marketing and communications for UO Housing. “This is our day to help students realize that this not just a place where you sleep at night — this is a place where you learn, where you connect with people who are going to be your best friends, people who are going to be in your wedding, who might even be across from you at your wedding. Transformational experiences happen here.”
Once the dust settles and incoming students are squared away with new roommates and decked-out dorms, classes will commence Monday, Sept. 28. Until then, freshmen can enjoy all the activities the Week of Welcome has to offer.
“Right now, I’m just excited to move into my dorm and decorate it,” said Brennen Diehl, a Bean Hall-bound freshman from San Ramon, California. “But I’m also excited to meet people, be around people my own age and take classes I’m actually interested in.”
— By Nathaniel Brown, Public Affairs Communications