college move in day

Back To School has long been a marker of change for students and parents alike. Growing up in my house, when the hydrangea in the front yard started to bloom, we knew those yellow school buses would not be far behind. The first day of school — from kindergarten all the way until senior year of high school — was always equal parts excitement and nerve racking for me. While I was always ready for the start of a new school year, the end of summer was always bittersweet.

When it came time to move into my college dorm, however, things tipped into utter anxiety. For starters, the whole moving-in part was a lot of work. The shopping and packing lists, finding a way to get your whole life stuffed in the back of an SUV, and then having to unpack in this strange new place? Not to mention sharing that private space with a whole stranger? I was not ready.

These next few weeks are going to be busy at campuses all around the country. Students will transform the quiet summer campuses of most institutions into vibrant worlds of learning, growth, and endless possibilities. Whether you're a familiar face or a fresh new addition to a vibrant campus community, you’re one of the people that brings campus to life for the semester.

Even though I was anxious back when I moved in to a college dorm for the first time, the very best part of my job is that I never had to actually leave college. Each fall I get to step back on campus along with a new class of nervous and excited students. Those same students who will soon find out that the world is about to open up to them here. I get to experience that fall semester electricity each time through the eyes of the students and faculty I get to photograph. And I am so grateful that I do. 

Welcome back!