More than 13,000 first-year students are settling into their dorms this fall at eight Triangle colleges and universities. Freshmen at four Raleigh campuses share their first-week impressions.
Top left: Devin Sanders, 18, of Fayetteville is one of 4,316 freshmen at N.C. State University.
“The biggest surprise has been sharing a room a quarter the size of my room back home. I ended up sending a whole tub of stuff back home to Mom,” said Sanders, a member of ROTC. “My roommate and I get along really well, though. We both play guitar.”
Top right: Brittany Cottrell, 18, of Chicago is part of a 421-member first-year class at St. Augustine’s University.
“It’s surprising how nice people are here versus Chicago. People are just so open and friendly,” Cottrell said. She will play bass drum in the St. Aug’s marching band.
Lower right: Luis Beltran, 18, of Mount Airy is one of 215 freshmen at William Peace University.
“I’m not as shy as I thought I’d be. It’s been easy to adjust,” said Beltran, who is among the first group of men ever admitted to the formerly all-female institution. “I’m fitting in and making friends quickly.”
Lower left: Raven Lee-Dominguez, 17, of Scottsdale, Ariz., is one of Shaw University’s 650 freshmen.
“My biggest challenge will be time management. I’m already signed up for two clubs, and I’m an athlete,” said Lee-Dominguez, who plays softball. “I’m really homesick, though. I called my mom on the second day.”
