University of Delaware freshmen descend on Newark, ready for new beginnings

As a mob of students clad in blue and gold shirts swirled around him — emptying mini-fridges, duffel bags and plastic drawers from a never-ending stream of cars — Austin Iannetta took a moment to himself.

Standing next to a carefully balanced pile of his own belongings, one that could rival the Tower of Pisa, the New Jersey native finally realized this was the moment he'd anticipated all summer. This was the start of his career at the University of Delaware.

"It's kind of surreal," Iannetta said. 

On an unseasonably cool Saturday morning in Newark, more than 4,000 first-year students moved into UD residence halls on the first official day of move-in weekend. Upperclassmen move in Sunday and Monday. 

For most UD freshmen, move-in day represents their first time away from home. As day one unfolded, members of the class of 2023 were excited to meet new people and explore a new place.

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Mackenzie Lally woke up early to make the three-hour drive with her mother from Sussex County, New Jersey. She said UD is the perfect distance from home — far but not too far. 

Only halfway through the move-in process outside Lane Hall she had already hit it off with her randomly assigned roommate.

"We’re like best friends now," Lally said. "I lucked out honestly. We like all the same things, we shop at the same places. I’m like, 'this is going to be my best friend for four years.' I’m super excited."

For Daniel Borowski, a graduate of St. Elizabeth high school in Wilmington, UD runs in the family. His two older brothers graduated from UD in the last few years. 

Borowski is a member of what UD officials say is likely one of the largest classes of Delaware residents ever. Enrollment numbers won't be final until the end of the course drop/add period, roughly two weeks into the academic year.

Borowski sees his first state background as an advantage. But he's also excited to mesh with new people on his floor in the Harrington dorms.

"It’s definitely a new environment but I’m sure I’ll get used to it quicker because I still know surrounding areas and things like that," he said. 

Brittney Smith was one of the dozens of upperclassmen enlisted by the university to help families empty their vehicles and then haul their belongings from the curb indoors. The highlight of the morning for the New York native was moving a girl into what was her freshman year room in Lane Hall. 

"It was weird because their room was so differently set up than how mine was," Smith said. "It’s so different, but it was cool."

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UD freshmen are mostly placed in residence halls on east campus between Academy Street and Chapel Street and near the Perkins Student Center. Others are on the Laird Campus further north off New London Road.

The debut of the Academy Street complex in 2018 alleviated some of the crowding of past years but the need for more housing still exists. UD announced last year that the Christiana Towers, first opened in 1972, would be closing in May.

The university previously closed the Rodney and Dickinson complexes on Hillside Road in 2015. 

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UD acquired the University Courtyard Apartments on Delaware Avenue but that complex holds significantly fewer students than the Towers. 

The next residence hall in the works will be located on The Green next to the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment, but it's several years away.

Wendy Bosco's older son lived in the Rodney complex when he attended UD. She remembers looking at brochures of beautiful views of campus before being stunned by Rodney's "prison-like" appearance. 

Her younger son Dawson's room in Smythe Hall is much nicer, she said.

As far as the move-in process goes, she "has it down to a science." But each time it's still sad to say goodbye to her sons. 

"You kind of realize as the end of the summer comes to a close that he’s going to be here," Bosco said. "It is weird when he’s not home."

Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @holveck_brandon.

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