New beginnings are at CSUMB this weekend. Not only is it the beginning of a new academic year, hundreds of freshmen are starting an exciting chapter in their young lives – they have officially left home and are now college students.

The enthusiastic students wheeled, carried and dragged their belongings into the CSUMB residence halls on Aug. 19, the first day of the three-day move-in weekend.

By the time classes start on Aug. 22, nearly 2,300 students who live on the main campus and East Campus housing will be settled into the rooms and apartments that will be their home for the next year.

All the activity happened with the help of about 100 faculty, staff and students who had volunteered for the Otter Welcome Team. They directed traffic, answered questions, carried boxes and gave directions to the new students – most of whom had parents and siblings along to help.

The incoming class includes 803 freshmen and 893 transfer students. Total enrollment is approximately 7,070; about a third of them come from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.