by Bryan Gibel
Daily Lobo
Freshman Ryan Mals said he got a bad impression of the dorms when he stayed at the Student Resource Center for freshmen
orientation.
"There were vomit stains in the bathroom," he said. "It was disgusting."
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But Mals said his room in Hokona-Zia Hall is everything he had hoped for.
"My dorm is pretty awesome," he said. "It's spotless. The air-conditioning works, and there's been no noise late at night, which is great, because I'll be taking 19 credit hours my first semester."
Students began moving into the residence halls Aug. 14.
For most incoming freshmen, staying in the dorms is their first experience living outside of their parents' homes.
The transition from home to the dorms is a huge change, said Ty Romero, a freshman from Oregon.
"My whole world is turned totally upside down, but in a good way," he said. "I've already been meeting a lot of new people and enjoying a different style of life than mom's house."
Channell Hannibal, a freshman from Connecticut, said residence hall staff helped her move in, but it doesn't feel quite like home.
"It's still really empty as people are moving in, but my RA has knocked on my door to tell me things," she said. "The food is better than it was in high school."
One of the best things about living in the dorms is the freedom to go out at night without worrying about parents or curfews, said Robert Shaw, a freshman from Louisiana.
"The best thing is that my mom's not there," he said. "She was always kind of around at home. I used to have to be sneaky about going out, but now, not at all."
UNM is cozy, even after dark, said Danny Moreno, a freshman from Colorado.
"I run into people I know walking around at 2 a.m.," he said. "I feel safe walking around campus late at night."
Moving into the dorms also has its challenges, Shaw said.
"It's hard moving in," he said. "There are a lot of people helping out, so I know what I'm doing. But trying to open doors with boxes in your hands sucks. So does carrying them
up stairs."
However, the perks of living in the dorms far outweigh the down sides, Romero said.
"I'm loving the excitement of being free," he said. "Living with beautiful girls, making new friends - I'm ready to put it down for the '07-'08 school year. My dorm room is where
it's at."
