STUDENTS RETURN TO UNIVERSITY

Thousands of Southeast Missouri State University students moved back into their dormitory rooms Sunday to prepare for the start of spring semester classes today.

With them they brought the necessities of life for college students.

"I've seen students carrying fish tanks, stereo systems, computers, you name it," said Michelle Robinson, a resident adviser at the Towers complex dormitory at Southeast.

Sunday was the first day returning students could move back on campus. New students could move into the dorms as early as last Thursday. Orientation for new students was held Friday and Saturday.

"People seem to be bringing back everything they own," Robinson said as she watched parents and students carrying boxes and bags past the front desk. "But most people probably don't want to leave valuables here during the break."

The last week of fall semester classes was Dec. 16-20. University offices were closed until last Monday.

Students began moving back into their rooms at Towers as early as 9 a.m. Sunday, said Robinson, who was staffing the complex's front desk.

She said though most student chose to return during the day, some wait until late at night, or even during the early hours of Monday morning. Then there are always the ones who wait until Monday.

"Some people don't think the first day of classes is important, so they don't come back until Monday night," she said. "But Sunday is definitely the busiest day. This is when most people come back."

Moving-in day for the spring semester is not as hectic as at the start of the fall semester, said Rebecca Unsel, a resident adviser at the Dearmont dormitory.

"It's really not that bad," Unsel said Sunday. "In the fall, we had to direct traffic out in the front, and that was pretty crazy. There were people everywhere."

Unsel said cars carrying students, parents and student's belongings jammed the one-way street in front of Dearmont last fall. The result was chaos.

In addition to students who were moving back into Dearmont Sunday, other students were visiting textbooks services at the university, located across the street from the front entrance of Dearmont.

Unsel said the start of the spring semester usually goes smoother than in the fall. Most students return to their same rooms, and there are fewer new students on campus.

She said the lobby at Dearmont had been remodeled over Christmas break, but other than that, few surprises awaited the returning students.

"Everything will be back to normal by 8 tomorrow morning," she said.

University officials said last week they expect around 8,000 students to be enrolled in spring classes, about the same number of students enrolled last spring.

Because of cutbacks in the number of part-time faculty this year, some classes will be larger, officials said.

Registration continues until Friday.