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Photos and story by Monty Siekerman
Good news for the financial health of ONU and those who own businesses or work in Ada: This year’s incoming freshman class is significantly bigger than last year. Today is move-in day for undergraduates with about 690 students lugging everything but the kitchen sink into their rooms. This is a 10-15 percent increase in incoming students this year compared to year ago.

Going off to college is always a bittersweet time for students who are happy to settle in on campus yet sad to leave family and friends whether they be from Ada, throughout Ohio and the USA, or from a foreign land.

Moving into a freshman residence hall at ONU is efficient as helpers descend upon cars like locusts. Quickly, the school supplies are unloaded, carried to the correct room, and unpacking begins.

Standing ready to carry belongings when cars roll up are 70 upperclass football players and 150 students who are involved in religious life and fraternities and sororities. The cars are quickly unloaded and directed to a parking area where the next event will be held. One might say, the progression of cars is faster than a McDonald’s drive thru.

The weekend is filled with activities for the freshmen to get acquainted with others and learn about college life. Classes begin Monday.