Resident assistants and residence education assistants gather to prepare for move-in. These students receive training and put in numerous hours to prepare for the arrival of their residents.

Nothing ushers in the start of the new school year like move-in as the quiet of summer gives way to bustling sidewalks, family members and students unloading totes and futons, the buzz of students greeting each other and a palpable excitement in the air. Students say goodbye to loved ones from back home (many for the first time), settle into their rooms, meet roommates and floormates or reconnect with old friends and begin to define their experiences for the next year.

Ally Goodrich and student staff prepare to welcome students to Aspire Apartments.

This year, University Residences and Dining & Culinary staff welcomed 17,422 residents to their homes on the West Lafayette campus before the start of classes on August 19. Of these, 9,200 were students participating in Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) and Boiler Gold Rush International (BGRi).

University Residences and Dining & Culinary staff spend untold hours preparing for a successful move-in, from communicating housing assignments and check-in processes to ordering and installing furniture and coordinating with the Purdue Police Department to ensure smooth traffic flow.

University Residences staff gather for a traditional breakfast at Triple XXX prior to move-in

New this year was an enhanced check-in process, which provided a more efficient arrival experience for students. In recent years, students have selected move-in times and dates based on their eligibility. Building on this foundation, University Residences launched a move-in pass, luggage tags and a mobile check-in. These features allowed students to arrive and check-in quickly, reducing congestion and wait times. Purdue is one of only a few universities to have implemented these processes and will continue to use technology to enhance student experiences in all areas.

Students participate in team building activities during Jumpstart.

Prior to BGR and BGRi, Dining & Culinary welcomed more than 50 students who participated in the Jumpstart program. Jumpstart allows student employees to move in early, acclimate to campus, learn from returning students, receive job training, participate in team-building activities and make new friends. BGR and BGRi also marked the debut of the newly-renovated Hillenbrand Hall, which features expanded seating, a new allergen-free station and Sushi Boss, a popular sushi option. Over the course of move-in week, Dining & Culinary served more than 800 gallons of ice cream and 9,000 pounds of french fries across all locations.

RAs and REAs at Purdue in Indianapolis.

This year also marked the inaugural move-in for 748 students living in University Residences housing at Purdue in Indianapolis. University Residences operates two facilities for students at the Indianapolis campus, one focused on a traditional residence hall experience and the other featuring apartment-style living. Residents have access to the same experiences and resources found in housing on the West Lafayette campus, including hall clubs, leadership opportunities, residential life staff, learning communities and more. New technology also played in Indianapolis, with new mobile options replacing paper forms and creating a more efficient process once students arrived to campus.

Once on campus, floor meetings and events help students find community and become acquainted with their homes. Resident assistants on the West Lafayette campus hosted 344 floor meetings and 67 events prior to the conclusion of the first week of classes, while Indianapolis RAs hosted 31 floor meetings held 12 events.

Students create sand art at RHA Day.

Another annual tradition for residents to have fun and acclimate to campus is RHA Day, hosted by the Residence Hall Association (RHA). This year, RHA Day welcomed 1,100 students and gave away over 600 shirts. Attendees made more than 500 sand art creations and 700 students enjoyed free Igloo ice cream. The event also hosted opportunities for Purdue Votes, Dining & Culinary and all residence hall neighborhood clubs. 

See more photos of move-in below.