Ready for the Future: Freshmen Begin Their Lander Journey on Move-In Day
For Lander University’s new freshmen, move-in day on Wednesday, Aug. 12, was about much more than hauling boxes, computers and cleaning supplies into residence halls. It was the beginning of a new chapter — one they greeted with excitement, a few nerves and expectations for the years ahead.
Lander and community volunteers were ready with carts and dollies to lighten the load, but many students arrived with moving crews of their own. Parents, grandparents and siblings carried boxes and bags up walkways and through hallways, helping transform unfamiliar rooms into new homes.
Mixed among the practical necessities were reminders of the homes that students were leaving behind — favorite stuffed animals, treasured handbags, pillows, blankets and other sentimental belongings chosen to make residence hall life feel a little cozier.
Amid the bustle, move-in day offered a first glimpse of the Lander experience: students beginning to find their independence, a campus community eager to welcome them and families reluctantly saying goodbye.
College Becomes Real
For Rahkyah Porter, a freshman business major from Darlington, the move to campus “hit home when I was leaving my room behind this morning … but now I feel excited and ready to start my new life. I’m very hopeful. I’m ready to meet new people and make new friends.”
Elementary education major Holley Glover, of Columbia, admitted to feeling “a little nervous and a little sad” when she left home that morning, but said she was looking forward to meeting and socializing with people on campus.
Andreylen Craig found the last moments in his room at his Greenville home made him realize the significance of the day. “But when we got on the road and we got here, I felt good,” he said. “I’ve looked forward to this day.”
A criminal justice major, Craig won’t be far from a familiar face. His twin sister, Dreyhiana Craig, also is a freshman at Lander. Moving two students to campus was a bit “surreal,” said their mother, Miyoshi Byrd.
“It’s going to take me a while to adjust,” she said, noting that the family arrived on campus in three cars. “And, of course, my daughter had the most to bring.”
Their Own Calling Cards
As they begin meeting new people, Lander’s newest students are eager for their classmates to discover who they are beyond their names and majors.
Music education major Timmy Keisler, of Pelion, wants his classmates to discover that he is someone they can count on when they need help — and that he is passionate about music. A fan of classical music, Keisler also enjoys hip-hop, R&B, country, pop and Latin music. He hopes to teach music to middle school students and eventually teach at a high school.
Maybe it’s their shared interest in educating students, but Glover echoed Keisler’s desire to help others.
“I just love helping out,” she said. “I’m very open-minded and kind-hearted. I hope that’s what people will see in me.”
Craig said he believes his classmates will discover that “I’m a cool person, pretty chill.”
Porter admitted that classmates might think she is a bit reserved at first. “But if you get a chance to know me, I’m very outgoing,” she said. “I have a great personality.”
From First Day to the Future
Standing among unpacked boxes and totes, students knew the first days of classes are coming. But even as they settled into their new rooms, they also looked beyond the beginning of life at Lander to the people they want to become by graduation.
“I hope that being at Lander will help me evolve into the person I was born to be,” Porter said. “I hope that I leave with confidence and the ability to make a difference.”
Glover also expressed hope that her college experience will give her greater confidence in the future. “I want to be a person who is clearer about who she is, a person who is more intuitive and able to succeed in life.”
At graduation, Madison McLinden said she wants to be well-prepared for a career as a pediatric nurse. “I hope that I’ve made good grades and that I am ready for what lies ahead.”
Keisler said he believes his academic journey will help him develop qualities that will last well beyond graduation. “I think that I can be aspiring, brilliant, trustworthy and a generous leader.”
And while graduation seems distant, the milestones on Wednesday were smaller: unpacking the last box, settling in with their roommates and making new friends, along with saying goodbye to family.
The stuffed animals and other treasured pieces of home that arrived with them are sure to make the transition a little easier. But by the time these freshmen leave Lander, they plan to carry away something far more lasting — confidence, friendships and a deeper sense of who they are and what they can contribute to the world.
For Lander’s newest Bearcats, that journey began on move-in day.