The first thing that was noticeable Thursday morning as the University welcomed students into its residence halls was the lack of any long lines at the check-in tables.

A few days earlier, on Sunday, approximately 1,000 students moved into the campus' residential communities as part of the University's pre-semester academic preparation program, NevadaFIT.

That left "only" about 1,900 students to move into their residence hall accommodations on the annual "Move-In Day," which is considered by many to be the unofficial start of the fall semester.

"We have two opening days," University President Marc Johnson had said in an interview earlier this week. "One is 'Move-In Day' as the students get settled, and one is the first Monday of classes (official instruction for the campus begins on Monday, Aug. 29).

"Both are big days for us. There is such a sense of energy and expectation on Move-In Day. It's truly one of the highlights of our entire year."

Thursday, even if it lacked long lines, certainly felt like a big day for many.

With temperatures hovering in the high 80s, new students, with the help of family members and hundreds of volunteers from Residential Life, Student Services and the campus' Greek system, were in constant motion. They hauled an assortment of mini-fridges, television and computer screens, luggage and a wide variety of decorations into their campus residences for the coming academic year.

Garrett Struzik, a transfer student from Cheyenne, Wyo., had driven 14 hours on Sunday to Reno. With a handful of clothing and pillows, Struzik on Thursday morning was good-naturedly putting the final touches on a move that had been "so far, so good."

"I thought it would be much more stressful," said Struzik, who will be studying music performance. "It hasn't been bad at all."

Struzik was helped by James Jaklich, a University graduate in criminal justice who's now pursuing a second degree in nursing.

"It has been pretty smooth," Jaklich said when asked how Struzik was doing. "There have been no freak-outs."

Struzik had visited the campus two years ago during the University's annual spring Jazz Festival, and came away impressed with the people, the picturesque campus and the sense of togetherness that seemed to envelop the institution.

"That's what I'm after," Struzik said when asked about expectations for the coming semester. "I want to be serious about my studies. But I also want to experience the sense of community that you can get from living in the dorms. I want to be involved and I want to be part of a community. I'm really looking forward to it."

The stress level for most seemed to be alleviated thanks to the numerous volunteers, particularly from the Greek system, who were on hand to haul possessions and provide a welcome smile and wisdom from past experience to the new students.

Three volunteers included Jordan Serrano, a junior from Las Vegas, majoring in biochemistry; Josh Cano, a senior from Reno majoring in information systems; and Jacob Davis, a senior from Reno majoring in psychology.

The three said there had been nothing too unusual among the items they had helped carry into Nye and Argenta Halls.

"I did have to carry a full-size vacuum cleaner," Cano said.

"And the very first kid we helped had a disco ball," added Davis.

And, there was also a well-meaning mother who seemed almost too extremely grateful for the help.

"She tried to tip us $20, but we told her we couldn't accept it," Serrano said with a smile.

More seriously, the three volunteers said Move-In Day brought back a flood of memories for them.

"It was kind of nostalgic," Serrano said. "I don't miss living in Argenta, but it has been kind of cool to be back inside Argenta, helping move people in."

Cano said he could relate, too, with the halting, nervous sort of half-conversations some of the new students had had with him.

"Some seem almost meek," Cano said. "They don't really know what to talk to you about. It can seem a little overwhelming, your first day in the dorms and your first time living on campus."

Still, all three said the message for success they were delivering on Thursday centered on encouraging the first-year students to stay involved with the life of the campus.

"Stay open to experiencing new things," Davis said.

"And ... honestly, just try to have fun," Cano said. "If they can do that, they're going to find success."