BLOOMINGTON - About 500 Illinois Wesleyan University freshmen have staked a spot at the Bloomington campus, ready to officially shift into their new role as Titans.

On Tuesday morning, outside Munsell and Ferguson halls - and other freshmen-heavy dorms, cars and minivans stretched in a line waiting to unload belongings, while dozens of staff and student volunteers directed the arrivals.

Up on Munsell's seventh floor, Annie Simpson of Kansas City, Mo., and her father, John Simpson, began the task of unpacking the freshmen's belongings.

"It's so hard to prepare for something you don't know yet," said the musical theatre major.

Annie Simpson's roommate, whom she hadn't met yet, was to bring a refrigerator. Simpson brought a microwave and a laptop computer. And there were boxes of clothes and school supplies. One thing she didn't forget was her favorite pair of cowboy boots.

Before moving-in, the Simpsons and other freshmen families started the process at Shirk Center, where a one-stop shop offered breakfast treats and a community/campus resource fair.

"It was very well organized - so both veterans and first-timers could move through easily," John Simpson said.

Having sent two older children off to college previously, he and wife, Rachel, fall in the "veterans" group, he added.

At Shirk Center, the students also sat for online campus directory photos, retrieved room keys and found a basic overview of what to expect from the week ahead, said Blake Bradley, orientation services director.

Bradley said the program helps introduce freshmen and transfer students to life at IWU.

Events started right away, with 2 p.m. meetings with orientation advisers. Later, a picnic with parents was scheduled for Tuesday evening, as well as Traditions Night. The late-night activity is an opportunity for the newcomers to socialize while learning about university history, said Bradley.

Later this week, orientation also includes group discussions of "Three Cups of Tea." The book, part of the IWU summer reading program, chronicles Greg Mortenson's efforts to broaden education in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Mortenson will address the campus at 11 a.m. Sept. 9 at Westbrook Auditorium.

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College days

Area campuses Start of fall classes

Illinois State University - Aug. 17

Heartland Community College - Aug. 17

Lincoln College-Normal - Aug. 17

Lincoln College-Lincoln - Aug. 18

Illinois Wesleyan University - Aug. 24

Eureka College - Aug. 26

Lincoln Christian College and Seminary* - Aug. 25

*(on Sept. 1, name changes to Lincoln Christian University)