Brock students settle in to residence living
Seventeen-year-old Corrie Lyn stopped for a moment to take in his surroundings.
“I love it here, it looks like the colleges you see in the movies,” said the Brock freshman who flew in from the Bahamas just days before.
Lyn is just one of about 2,400 students who moved in to residences Sunday as the school year begins.
Director of residences Jamie Fleming said about 600 volunteers were on hand for that annual move-in that works with almost military precision.
“Throughout all the residence buildings, our total capacity is 2,500. Upper-year students have already moved in, and these are mostly firstyear students today.
“The number of beds and residences from 10 years ago hasn’t changed that much. We’ve had a decade of fine tuning.”
Incoming president Gervan Fearon joined the experience welcoming parents and students, as well hauling up student supplies.
“It’s an outstanding experience watching the university come to life. The parents are excited about the start as well as the students are who excited about the future. It’s quite a different experience in terms of the number of students here,” said Fearon, who came from the smaller Brandon University in Manitoba.
“We have almost 19,000 students, so this is a relatively large university in comparison to my experience before, but there is still that sense of community.
“It’s an outstanding statement that Brock has been able to get that small university feel while providing a fully comprehensive education,” he said.
While the majority of students are from out of town, Fleming said that there are also students moving in from Niagara.
“There are some from St. Catharines and Niagara Falls who are moving their kids into residence because they value the experience, that connection with campus. You can’t do that nearly as well if a student lives at home or off campus.”
For Lyn, his room and the campus will be home for the next year as he begins his studies in medical sciences.
“Growing up in the Bahamas you get used to everything, the system, how the people are. Here everything is different, you have to adapt.”
His mother Suzette joked that this will be the last time he hangs up his clothes since she won’t be there to remind him.
For Lyn, it will also be the longest time ever out of his home country.
“The most I spent is four days away.
“I’m lost for words. I feel it’s just so much stimulus coming to you at the same time you just have to breathe in and breathe out to take it all in.”
“I’m excited for him, I know he needs to take this next step,” his mom said.
“I’m excited for him to go from our nest and go his way on.”
btymczyszyn@postmedia.com