Move-in day at SF State was a big day for a lot of freshmen, including Nick Day, an 18-year-old skateboarder from San Diego, Joseph Asicam, a 17-year-old foster youth from Stockton and Taya Patterson, a 17-year-old filmmaker from Ontario.
Even though Day said it was hard to be away from his friends, he was excited to get to know his roommates and make new friends.
“Life is a learning experience, and college is a part of that experience,” said Day, a soon-to-be anthropology major, as he moved into the Towers at Centennial Square at SF State Saturday.
Nick’s father, Darren Day, said he feels a combination of both anxiety and excitement for Nick going to college. Day is enthusiastic for his son to have new experiences and for them to explore San Francisco together.
This year about 3,500 freshmen moved into SF State’s dorms, said Melissa Herold, a 20-year-old visual design major, who is beginning her second year as a resident advisor. Herold and Jacqualynn Espinoza, a 21-year-old kinesiology major and fellow second-year resident advisor, were preparing to check in freshmen at the Towers at Centennial Square.
“Coming back as an RA, you always learn something new,” Espinoza said.
Every Student Life employee who worked move-in day had to go through extensive training to prepare. According to Espinoza, training lasted three weeks, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Joseph Asicam moved into the Towers on June 19 with the help of the Guardian Scholars Program at SF State. The program helps foster youth at SF State and moved in eight students this year, according to Xóchitl Violetta Sanchez, the director and co-founder of the program.
“I had to grow up fast. My ambition is two times anybody else’s,” Asicam said on his experiences as a foster youth.
After applying to multiple CSU campuses, Asicam researched the services each school provides for foster youth and learned about SF State’s Guardian Scholars Program.
Asicam said the Guardian Scholars program provided him with everything he needed, including school supplies, bedding and advice and support when he needs it.
There were medals on Asicam’s desk from all his accomplishments. He proudly showed off his awards from basketball, JROTC, and a high grade point average. Asicam said he wants to keep up his good grades so he can graduate with a degree in kinesiology.
Taya Patterson moved in with the help of her sister Maya Bell and her grandmother Bert Perkins. Perkins came all the way from Ocala, Florida to help with the move and hopes her granddaughter will make lifelong relationships during her time at SF State.
“There are new challenges in college compared to when I went, but there are a lot more choices,” Perkins said.
Patterson said she wants to declare cinema her major. If she had to make one film during the course of her education, Patterson said it would be to document the challenges she is going through in college.
“I want to look back on it and show I succeeded,” Patterson said.
