Rodney Gvillo was seen dragging a refrigerator through Taylor Hall late Sunday afternoon.

He was helping his daughter Toni Gvillo, a freshman nursing major, move in along with her roommate Jessica Camp, a freshman elementary education major. Toni Gvillo transferred to Eastern this semester from Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey.

Gvillo piled up the pushcart, provided by the resident halls, with a television, suitcases of clothes and other essentials for her room. However, the pushcart was only useful for so long.

“This only gets us about 200 feet and the we have to stop,” Gvillo said.

She resides in Taylor South where there is no elevator available for students. Gvillo, her father and Camp found themselves having to carry every little piece up the stairs to move.

Unlike the beginning of fall semester, there are no Panther Pals around to help movers carry items.

Katie Keach, desk assistant of Taylor and a senior history and social science education major, does not think there is need for Panther Pals to help movers in the spring semester.

“I just don’t feel there are enough residents moving in to make it worth while,” Keach said.

In Andrews Hall, about 10 new residents are moving in for the spring semester, said Leah Pietraszewski, a desk assistant and junior family and consumer science major.

Desk assistants and resident assistants are around to help answer questions movers might have, give paperwork and bring students their keys. The RAs also hold floor meetings to welcome back students and give a reminder of the rules and policies.

“They are really nice and helpful,” Gvillo said of the desk assistants and RAs. “They gave me my keys – no questions asked.”

However, both Gvillo and Camp said that help with doors and boxes would be useful. When students return in the spring, there is no one to really help, Camp said. A few extra people walking around assisting would be useful but it doesn’t need to be as extravagant as move-in day of the fall semester.

Keach said that the desk assistants and resident assistants do not help carry boxes and open doors.

Because it is Gvillo’s first time moving away from home it was not easy for Rodney Gvillo to say goodbye to his daughter.

“I’m not gonna say I’m tickled to death to see her go,” he said.

The occasion brought tears to his eyes.

“He’s sad. He cried,” Toni Gvillo said.

Move in was not as emotional for Kathleen Lashbrook, a freshman special education major, and her mother, Beth.

“We both tried to disguise it but it was right there under the surface,” Beth Lashbrook said.

She was happy to have her daughter home for the holidays, but laundry is one reason she’s happy to send her back.

“I’m thrilled they’re leaving because the laundry stops,” she said.

Beth did the laundry for her children but they made a pact that when the students return in the summer they do their own.

Kathleen also brought home with her over winter break items that wasted space because she did not use them during the school.

She said it was mainly clothes but upon retuning, after the holidays, Kathleen brought back more clothes she bought from gift cards.

Among the other things Kathleen and Beth carried into Andrews were Kathleen’s laptop, a laundry bag and food.

Both did not take advantage of the pushcarts but thought that the university is very helpful when it comes to moving.

There were so many useful people around on the first move-in day, Kathleen said.

For EIU housing and dining services Web site click here

For our fall 2006 move-in day news story click here