RPS prepares for new residents

Freshman move-in day on August 24 is a month away, and Residential Programs and Services have been preparing for it all summer long. RPS Associate Director for Apartment Housing Tim Stockton said many campus employees are working overtime to get ready. \n"We're probably getting busier each summer," Stockton said. "The maintenance staff is finishing up cleaning and construction projects. The dining staff is getting geared up for final cleanings and getting ready for new staff to be trained." \nStockton said many employees have been training over the summer. He said Resident Assistants, graduate staff and some members of student government take advantage of the summer to prepare for incoming students.\nDuring the summer, Dennis Perkins works as a housing assistant at Eigenmann, and is an RA at Ashton during the regular school year. He said for two weeks starting August 15, all of the RAs have training. \n"We do various things, like icebreakers and learn how to deal with our residents," he said.\nPerkins said RAs are especially busy on move-in day, and in Ashton they have stations for students to get checked in and get an internet kit, keys and general information.\nWhile RPS is busy on the home front, incoming freshman all over the country are getting ready to become Hoosiers. \nKristen Kennedy is a freshman from Indianapolis and said IU is a family tradition. Two brothers, three cousins and an aunt have preceded her here. Kennedy said while at North Central High School, she considered attending Wooster and Depauw, but changed her mind. \n"I realized that since I want to be a music teacher, I should go to one of the best music schools... so my senior year I only applied to IU."\nKennedy said she is ready to be on her own, but unsure about getting to her 8:00 a.m. classes. \n"I'm excited about (living in) Read ... and I'll be making a ritual stop at Starbucks every morning," she said. \nFreshman Carly Chetek will move to Bloomington from Boca Raton, Fla. She said she went to her local Bed, Bath, and Beyond and selected supplies she'll need so they'll be sent to the Bloomington store. She already knows her future roommate, and said she doesn't have any big concerns about living with her. \n"I just hope we can get along," she said. "It's hard living in close quarters with anyone."\nFreshman Zach Wylie of Deerfield, Ill., said he's looking forward to meeting new people and the general spirit of IU. "(I'm excited about) going to the games and cookouts and parties, and of course learning a whole lot," he said.\nWylie said he's doing a few things to prepare for the move. \n"I'm reading up on a few of my courses and bios of teachers to know who I'm dealing with, I'm slowly winding down with all my friends and family and I'm getting new clothes and stuff," he said.\nStockton said the staff is good with fall preparations, and will likely stay busy up until opening day.\n"Everything is going well, and our staff is anxious for students to return," he said. "We're ready for them"