Going off to college for the first time is both an exciting and nerve-racking experience for students and parents. As the new school year begins, incoming college freshmen prepare for a time of transition and new experiences.
Trey Turner, a recent North Lenoir High School graduate, is moving into his dorm at ECU this weekend and expressed a mixture of excitement and nervousness about the transition to college.
Items packed and ready to be moved include an ironing board and little things that remind Turner of home. According to his mother, Charlene Turner, the longest Trey has ever been away from home is two weeks.
As a parent, Charlene is worried about her son, but with ECU only being a 30 minute drive away, some of her concern has been negated. She has also been helping by buying dorm supplies and taking care of final pieces of paperwork to help ensure a smooth transition.
“Trey will have plenty of help with the move,” she said,
It will be a family affair as his two older sisters, younger brother Zachary and father will be on hand to see the ECU freshman start a new chapter in his life.
He knows going from a high school classroom to the college setting will be hard, but Turner has confidence.
“I know I’ll be able to buckle down and do the work,” Turner said.
Like Turner, Katie Lee is also attending ECU. Due to the five years she spent attending Lenoir County Early College High School, she will enter with an associate’s degree already in hand.
For Lee, she said she knows she can handle the coursework, but the prospect of living in the dorm with someone she has never met is a bit of a worry. Thanks to LCC, though, Lee has all of her prerequisites out of the way and can focus on her coursework as an English major immediately.
The short distance between school and home, along with the quality of her department, made ECU an easy choice for Lee, who has never been away from home.
“It (ECU) had everything I needed,” Lee said.
Josh Dawson, who was the point guard for three Kinston High School state championships, is going to Fayetteville State on a basketball scholarship.
To Dawson, going off to college means following his dream — but being away from home and family will present new challenges.
“I have to stay focused on my own now,” Dawson said.
For his mother Litisha Dawson, there is a feeling of mixed emotions as the last of her two children leave the house.
“I’m excited. He’s growing up, but at the same time it’s my baby leaving the house,” Dawson said.
Saturday, the Dawsons will load up two vehicles with food, pillows and other supplies necessary for dorm life, and make the trek to Fayetteville, where Josh will begin living away from home.
“It’s going to be a new experience,” Dawson said.
Noah Clark can be reached at 252-559-1073 or at Noah.Clark@Kinston.com.
Move-in dates/ class starts
School Freshmen move-in Class starts
Appalachian State Today Tuesday, Aug. 20
Campbell Saturday and Sunday Wednesday, Aug. 21
Duke Tuesday, Aug. 20 Monday, Aug. 26
ECU Today through Sunday Tuesday, Aug. 20
Fayetteville State Saturday Thursday, Aug. 22
UNC Chapel Hill Today through Sunday Tuesday, Aug. 20
UNC Charlotte Today Monday, Aug. 19
UNC Wilmington Saturday Wednesday, Aug. 21
Wake Forest Thursday, Aug. 22 Tuesday, Aug. 27