The lines were long and the goodbyes tearful, but everyone remained good-natured as the incoming freshmen struggled to situate themselves in their new apartments or residence halls on Sept. 20.

Big day: Warren freshman Carlo Alvear unloads his belongings on move-in day Sept. 20. Lines were long as residence halls and apartments opened.

Following the tradition of UCSD move-in days, thousands of freshmen and parents filled the six college campuses with frantically parked cars, suitcases, and haphazardly placed boxes.

ìIt was ultimate and utter chaos,î said Abe Epperson, an incoming John Muir College freshman, about the move-in experience. ìLuckily I got here early, so I was first in line. But I saw the looks on other peopleís faces ó they were struck with fear.î

Both students and their parents were feeling emotional on move-in day.

ìHeís nervous,î said Mina Orozco, motioning to her son as they hurried to the Thurgood Marshall College apartments. ìBut I think Iím even more nervous about him leaving. This is a crazy day.î

The freshman class, consisting of about 3,800 students, helps bring the total count of UCSD students to a record total number of 23,500. The class has an overall average G.P.A. of 4.04 and an average SAT score of 1288.

They were chosen out of a pool of 43,000 applicants.

Josen Diaz, an Earl Warren College freshman, said she was both nervous and excited about living away from home for the first time.

ìIím from So Cal, so itís not that bad,î she said. ìI live an hour and fifteen minutes away, so I can go home for the weekends if I want to.î

Diaz felt that the move-in process was rather chaotic, but not horrible, as ìeveryoneís been pretty sociable.î

While in previous years move-in was stretched over a two-day period, with residence hall occupants moving in one day and apartment-dwellers moving in the next, nearly all of the 3,800 freshmen moved on campus Sept. 20.

ìWeíve never seen it this busy,î said Muir College Resident Dean Pat Danylyshyn-Adams. ìThe longest line today must have been the line for the Tioga Hall elevator; but everyoneís been very patient and understanding. Weíve tried to keep a festive atmosphere, with a barbeque lunch and music.î

Overall, the day was busy but without any major issues, according to Danylyshyn-Adams.

On the other side of campus, 1,240 Eleanor Roosevelt College students were fortunate to be the first to dwell in the newly completed Roosevelt college campus, which constitutes the largest project, both in funds and size, in the history of UCSD.

The new Roosevelt campus also opened its doors to its incoming freshmen with parts of the campus still in construction, causing detours to some of the students moving in.

Melanie Horn, the Roosevelt assistant resident dean, feels that things worked out better than expected.

ìHousing services worked 24 hours a day to get things ready,î Horn said. ìThe RAs worked all night last night. And everything came through.î

In addition to the freshmen class, there will be 653 total international students attending UCSD this year, though only a handful of them moved into the new International House, or I-House, on Sept. 20. I-House, which before was located in the old Roosevelt campus, moved into new quarters at the center of the new campus.

So far, the countries represented by the students moving in range from Chile and Brazil to Hong Kong, Germany and even Barbados

ìEveryone here is excited to meet people from other countries,î said Rachel Adams, a resident advisor of I-House who also lived in I-House in the past. ìThe beginning of the year [in I-House] is always so cool. Itís a nice medium route before studying abroad, so that thereís not that much of a culture shock.î

As the afternoon wore on and the parents dwindled in number, the Warren lawn was still filled with food and music. Students sat on the grass in clumps and introduced themselves to one another.

ìItís been fun,î Warren freshman Amy Vonrunmelhoff said. ìAnd the people helping us were fast. We didnít feel weird at all. But they gave me the wrong textbook list, and my ID card wasnít readyÖ The lines were practically around the block.î

Another Warren freshman, Tony Lopez, said he found the move-in day experience welcoming.

ìI like the music,î Lopez said. ìIt creates a welcome atmosphere. It makes me feel outgoingÖ and well-welcomed.î