Jensen Rader, a communication design major, joined her fellow freshmen in the rush to start their new lives. Tall and fair with an infectious smile, Rader stood in the middle of her Lassen double surrounded by her belongings, already halfway unpacked.

Legion Avenue teemed with activity Thursday as incoming freshmen, including Rader, pushed cart after cart of bags, boxes and cases onto campus under the burning Chico sun. Sweat beaded on foreheads and upper lips, a salty combination of heat plus a healthy dose of excitement and nerves.

Even in the midst of move-in craziness Rader was one of the few who still seemed cool and relaxed, but her voice gave away her excitement.

“Lassen was my first choice, I put my [housing] app in one hour after it opened up,” Rader said. “I liked it because I thought it would be quieter than a bigger dorm, and I’m always really busy and involved so I like being able to study and sleep in quiet.”

She had seen pictures of the dorm room layout online and made a plan to make her move in as easy as possible. The boxes and stacks on her side of the room were neat, nearly everything was all ready to be put in its place. Her clothes hung cooperatively on their hangers with no shoulders slouching or zippers left unzipped.

As Rader smoothed down the teal bed skirt of her extra-long twin bed she paused and looked around.

“I’m going to miss having my own room,” she said. “I have a queen-sized bed at home.”

As Rader unpacked and worried about bed space and shower shoes, it was hard for not think about home.

“I miss my dog already,” she said. “That’s going to be interesting to see how I do without her. And my own shower, I’m kind of skeptical about the whole sharing-a-bathroom thing.”

Rader’s friendly personality and easy confidence shone through on her move-in day which will help her with her first year as a Wildcat.

Check out other freshman on their first days at Chico State.

Samantha McKibben can be reached at [email protected] or @sammiemckay