Follow that cart!
Move-in day at UW–Madison packs a lot of excitement, a little nervousness and limitless dreams
“I’m excited!”
As we tagged along with one of the big red moving carts on UW–Madison’s move-in day, this was the refrain we heard most from incoming Badgers. With wide smiles on their faces, they piled bags and boxes and blankets into our cart, rolled it through hallways and elevators, and unpacked it into the residence hall rooms they now call home.
Welcome to the whirlwind few hours when the newest class of freshmen meet their new roommates, bid farewell to their families, and begin their college experience.
Our first cart trip of the day began with Kate Schulte of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, who was feeling ready for the new friends, routine and independence that go hand in hand with this new chapter in life.
Her mom, Kim, joined in her enthusiasm: “My friends keep asking if I’m going to cry, but I don’t think so. I’m just so excited for her to have this experience of living in the residence halls and making new friends.”
“She’s independent and has been ready to be on her own since she was 12, so I’m not nervous. She’s ready for this,” added her dad, Dave.
Our cart was then handed off to Hemanth “Hemi” Indukuri, who grew up just a few miles west of campus in Middleton, Wisconsin. Despite the lifelong proximity, he was ready for the unique experiences that come with being a UW–Madison student, like meeting fellow freshmen on the floor of his residence hall, joining student organizations and experiencing “Jump Around” in the student section of Camp Randall Stadium.
“It’s one of the greatest traditions in sports, and I’ve never been to a game before,” he said. In addition to majoring in computer sciences, Indukuri hopes to join the Wisconsin Surma Bollywood fusion dance team and play intramural soccer.
Up next on cart duty was Megan Reedy of Muskego, Wisconsin. As a member of Ogg Hall’s Business Connect Learning Community, she was happy to be paired with roommates who share the same educational interests. The learning community aims to foster a deeper connection among first-year direct admits to the business school. Together with her floormates, Reedy will be able to access additional educational and professional resources offered by the Wisconsin School of Business, and she’ll even have a built-in homework buddy (or two).
Move-in, by the numbers
8,915 total University Housing residents this fall
390 residents move in per hour during UW–Madison’s main move-in days across all halls
600 red carts are available for University Housing residents during move in
4,420 resident rooms were prepared (including some expanded housing dens) ahead of move in
209 House Fellows (79 new, 130 returning) will help residents transition and create community
*Note these are approximate numbers for the 2024-25 academic year.
Some students and parents were feeling ambivalent about the big change. Ruchika Sethi was emotional as she helped her son, Soham, unpack the cart in his room in Ogg Hall.
“I’m delighted that he got into UW–Madison, but he is my only child, so I’m feeling mixed emotions,” she said.
Soham, who grew up in California, picked UW–Madison because of the school’s journalism program and the ability to double major within the College of Letters & Science.
Kayla Cichy from Arlington Heights, Illinois, also claimed our cart. She admitted that she was both excited and a little nervous about the journey ahead of her.
But Cichy, who plans to major in operations and technology management, lit up as she discussed her plans to join the intramural lacrosse team and Fraternity & Sorority Life. She even has ambitions to organize a flag football league among the sorority houses.
When asked why she chose UW–Madison, Cichy confessed that she had always planned to attend a different Big Ten school (that shall remain nameless). So what changed her mind?
“I fell in love with this campus while touring it,” she said. After that, the other school didn’t stand a chance.