Across all campuses, the University of Connecticut has begun the 2024-2025 academic year in earnest, opening dormitories, dining halls and lectures halls alike to a record-setting population of new and returning students.
Of the nearly 60,000 applications received this year, 6,500 students were accepted for admission, composing the largest freshman class of UConn’s 143-year history.
With the induction of the class of 2028, the total population of UConn has ascended to a collective 24,900 undergraduate students, with 19,800 on the Storrs campus alone. For historical comparison, the undergraduate student body is roughly equivalent to the population of New York City circa 1776, marking a similarly revolutionary period for the University of Connecticut as an institution.
How is the undergraduate community reacting to the end of the summer months? The prevailing emotions from many are excitement underscored by the stressful reminders of impending scholastic rigor.
Voicing the sentiments of many undergraduates, third-semester student Giresun Cakrak stated that the pressures of living at home have now shifted to those of a difficult courseload.
“Coming here was moving from one stress to another stress,” said Cakrak.
Not all changes have been negative, however, for those returning to campus. A sense of opportunity for the future and fond memories from the past have informed the excitement of those eager for the beginning of a new semester.
“I was a lot more excited to move in than I was my first year since I knew the campus better,” said Cakrak. “As you keep moving in, you grow your space and your community, not just in your major but your friends, professors, and the spaces around campus you have to relax. And having a nicer room definitely helps.”
For the incoming class of first-year students making their introductory acquaintance to UConn living, navigating the college process is an endeavor of heightened nervousness and boundless potential.
First-semester student Youchen Zhou summarized his experience of coming not only to a new school, but to a new country, as a prospect of personal growth.
“I was a little bit scared for what to expect in a new life,” said Zhou. “One day, I knew, I must live away from my parents and be myself. The greatest emotion I had was expectation.”
Although feelings may be mixed for students adapting to the new school year, the future of the university and of the individuals who call it home are unprecedented.
To quote the advice of Daily Campus writer Clyde D’Souza, “moving in is only the first part of settling in; the process is not complete until you build a community within your dorm, your floor and throughout campus.”