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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Move-in week for the University of Arkansas is officially underway.

Move-in started for athletes and RA’s at the beginning of August but this is the week everyone else joins them. 

Freshmen move-in started on Wednesday and is still going strong. When moving in, students and parents have very specific instructions called “move-in routes,” given by the university. Because there are so many people trying to get settled into their new homes, there are drop-off points and time slots. Each family has a 30-minute window to pull their car up front and unload their stuff.

Brent Schlofeldt, the director for residential facilities said they have had thousands of check-ins so far with many more to go. There are so many freshmen this year that not all of them will be directly on campus. 

6,200 will be in dorms and 900 in rented apartments outside of campus. But the university wants all freshmen to feel included which is why they always recommend freshmen on campus.

“We want them to start their university experience off in a really good way.  A lot of friendships are made for life from that university experience and we have to be able to understand what’s available on campus and start that experience in a positive way,” said Schlofeldt.

On Fayetteville Square, Businesses are thriving with about 30,000 people returning to campus this fall.   

“The traffic’s high again…there’s people coming in all day, which is nice, makes the time go by fast…its busy and fun,” said Jordan Patterson, Riff Raff store manager.  

One of the businesses that rely on college life is Riff Raff. Patterson says rush week and bid day are a major economic boost for their business. 

“It is a really big week for us and it’s super exciting…bid day is next Saturday so we’re hoping to see a lot of new faces a lot of parents coming back in town for bid day and just a lot of girls excited and out and about wanting to shop with their new sorority sisters,” Patterson said.

Patterson says the majority of her customers this past week, were people new to Fayetteville.

“Definitely incoming freshmen, I’ve heard a lot of just chatter around the store, a lot of girls and guys coming in with their moms.... moving into their dorms and looking for that razorback gear,” Patterson said.

With parents coming from all over the country to help move in their kids, most parents use retail therapy to relax after the move. 

Sot Alexis Smith- “I just love all of these stores, I think it’s pretty with the flowers we love the farmers market and it’s just kind of nostalgic for me,” said Alexis Smith, a parent. 

Smith, from Jonesboro, is here moving in her son to start his freshman year and they are using some downtime to shop for more razorback gear.

“It was exciting, we’re staying through Sunday, so I know probably on Sunday we’ll be more emotional, and it’ll be a little more challenging but right now we’re still in that excited and tire stage….it took us about 5 hours today so now we’re just kind of relaxing,” said Smith. 

Her son will be a second-generation razorback, Smith and her husband went to the University of Arkansas. They say they are glass to visit the hill more often.

“We have a lot of Razorback gear, but can you have too much? No… there’s always room another shirt, or pendant or whatever,” said Smith.

Move-in will continue today and wrap up on Saturday. 

Students at other universities across Arkansas will also be moving in soon. Saturday, Students at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville will begin moving in. Students at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith can move in starting Aug. 19 and 20. And University of Central Arkansas students in Conway can move in starting on Aug. 20. 

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