A record number of Brock University students will be moving into their new home away from home on campus this weekend.

On Saturday, Sept. 3 and Sunday, Sept. 4, Brock’s on-campus residences will welcome more than 2,600 students for the largest Move-in Weekend in the University’s history.

“This will be our biggest move-in ever at Brock,” says Cindy Chernish, Interim Director, Residences. “With the addition of Residence 8, DeCew Residence being open to capacity following its major renewal and all of our buildings operating at near capacity, we’re excited to welcome a record number of students to live on campus beginning this weekend.”

Brock opened Residence 8, its new 308-bed, semi-suite style residence building, in January, increasing the University’s total residence capacity to nearly 2,800 beds throughout the eight housing complexes on the main campus. DeCew Residence also underwent a major revitalization that saw extensive renovations to the traditional-style dormitory building completed last year.

From the moment students and their families arrive on campus for Move-in Weekend, the goal is to make them feel welcome and comfortable with this significant life transition, Chernish says.

“Moving away from home for the first time can be a stressful experience, not only for students but also for their parents,” she says. “We’re here to demonstrate the strong support network at Brock that is ready to help them along the way.”

Members of the Brock community will be lined up along the roadways leading to residence buildings to greet new Badgers and provide any needed additional directions to their new home.

In order to make the complex move work over two days, each student and their family is given a one-hour window of move-in time between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Because of the logistics required to move 2,600 students into residences, parking and access around Brock’s main campus will be limited throughout the weekend. People visiting the University for other purposes are asked to park in Zone 1.

Hundreds of Brock staff and student volunteers will be on hand to not only assist with the move but also to help make students’ introduction to university life a bit easier. Departments and services such as Residences, Dining, Parking, IT Help Desk, Brock Card, Campus Store and the Walker Sports Complex will all be open various hours throughout the weekend.

Move-in Weekend kicks off Brock’s Welcome Week, which includes a series of activities and events hosted by the University as well as the Brock University Students’ Union. Activities for students in residence will begin Sunday with a live burn demonstration, where students learn about fire safety, followed by the Brock Summer Games on Monday, Sept. 5, where hundreds of students will compete alongside their housemates in a series of games at Varsity Field from noon to 3 p.m.

Move-in Weekend and the activities that follow offer a bonding experience like no other, Chernish says.

“Move-in is when students meet the people in their building and start forming the connections that often grow throughout university,” she says. “That is where lifelong friendships begin.”

Move-in Weekend comes on the heels of the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, which saw Brock host close to 5,000 athletes and coaches in its residences over two weeks in August.

“Hosting the Athletes Village was a big undertaking and staff have been busy getting the buildings ready for students following the departure of Canada Games athletes,” Chernish says. “It has been an exciting summer on campus and we’re looking forward to again filling our residence rooms with students in September.”