Excitement and nerves rule Yukon College move-in weekend

A nervous smile and a timid knock on the campus housing office door is the first step to Dayna Dickson's life at Yukon College.

It's move-in weekend at theWhitehorse campus. From Friday to Monday, 125 students will settle into their new homes, a number that's risen slightly over past years,according to campus housing manager Andrea Clark.

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Dickson is from Watson Lake and about to become afirst-year environmental science student. She says she's "really pumped" about the school year.

Clark takes Dickson and her mom on a tour of her dorm, pointing out washrooms, laundry and the kitchen.

'Excitement is contagious'

The campus housing manager is busy givingtours this weekend andanswering questions about everything from Wi-Fi passwordsto whetherstudents are allowed to have a Keurig in their rooms.

"I'm always reminded how much I like this day each year," said Clark.

"We are welcoming the students who are feeling both excited and nervous. We can help to support them and encourage them that this is going to be an exciting year and they have exciting opportunities ahead of them at Yukon College. So that sort of excitement is always contagious."

She says on-campus housing gives students achance to learn about contracts, landlords and living with neighbours.

You put a hammer in my hand I know what to do with it, but put a pen, I'm not too sure what to do with it.- Waylon Snowshoe, Yukon College student

Saturday is the busiest move-in day with 40 students arriving at their new home. Clark says students will live in a variety of accommodations. Some in traditional dorm rooms, some sharing an apartment and some living in an apartment with their family, like Waylon Snowshoe.

Snowshoe has arrived ahead of his family to set up their new two-bedroom apartment.

Originally from the Northwest Territories, he is going to be upgrading this year before possibly studying renewable resources.

"To be honest, I'm a little nervous," he said.

"It's been 10years since I graduated high school. You put a hammer in my hand I know what to do with it, but put a pen, I'm not too sure what to do with it."

Tag Kopp from Vernon, B.C. stopped by the campus housing office with a few questions for Clark after moving into his room.

"It's a little bit mind boggling coming from the south. But I think it's going to be a lot more homey than it was down there," he said.

Kopp sayshe's looking forward to living in Whitehorse because his mom grew up here. Before he settles down into campus life, Kopp and his mother areabout to take part in acollege move-in tradition a trip to the grocery store for all the essentials.