It's Labour Day weekend, and that means thousands of students are settling into a new city and a new routine.
In Barrie and Orillia, it was move-in day at Georgian College.
“I've been somewhere for 18 years of my life and now all of the sudden I'm here and it's just on my own,” says student Brendan Howorth. “I don't really have the parents to, you know, rely on for everything.”
For many, moving day has been a busy day of lifting and climbing stairs. It can be stressful for everyone. Between Orillia and Barrie, more than 650 students are moving into residence today. This is Orillia's first on-campus college residence.
Parents seem impressed by the two new buildings with 64 units in each building.
Rick Vander Valk says it’s an “excellent unit.”
“It's brand, brand spanking new so that's a good feeling for me,” he says.
Amanda Summers is moving away from home for the first time. She admits she's both excited and nervous.
“Getting to know everyone, making sure I'm going to fit in with everything, knowing my roommates,” she says. “I have no idea who they are, but I can't wait.”
To help students and their parents get through this stressful day, dozens of returning students are dressed in yellow shirts and are here to help.
Scott Anderson is the student council president. He says the first few days can be overwhelming for first-year students.
“It’s a tricky transition. It’s the first time on your own, but we do all we can to try and help them keep the balance,” he says. “We also do student advocacy and help them with their academics. So we try and keep that balance right from the ground up.”
And it hasn’t been an easy day for parents like Kevin Summers, but it’s an exciting one for sure.
“It's a new chapter in her life and a beginning for something I hope that will last forever for her,” he says of his daughter. “She is starting something new and giving us more space at home.”
The new students will take part in a full-day orientation tomorrow, and many will take the week to get ready for the new semester and kick off the new year.
