Sonoma State University welcomes largest freshman class in history

She wasn’t anxious but she knew she would get anxious - it is how she is. So moving into a single room at Sonoma State University’s Fume Blanc dormitory was a relief.

“I love it because I have my own space. My parents were incredibly generous and understanding,” said Marisa Wax, 19, as she and her mother stacked supplies in a wheelchair to roll them into her new home.

Wax was one of about 1,900 students - the largest freshmen class in SSU history - who moved into their dormitory rooms Saturday, arriving in three pre-scheduled waves throughout the day.

It is not mandatory that freshmen live on campus, but more than 92 percent of them do, said Cyndie Morozumi, SSU’s director of residential life. Overall, 3,100 out of 9,400 students are expected to live in university residences this year.

On Saturday, the scene evoked happy worker ants - a stream of students and family members filing in and out of the complex of two-story dormitory buildings named for wine and grape varietals.

“It’s actually better than I expected,” said Eric Lum, 18, of Napa, who was moving into Sauvignon Village. “The pictures don’t really capture how big they are.”

“I’m as ready as I’ll be,” he said, standing amid a pile of his and his new roommates’ belongings.

“They look like apartments instead of typical dorm style. It’s very inviting and attractive,” said Ron Ramon, who was moving in his niece from Hercules.

Gabby Romo, a sophomore from Orange and a student advisor, sat in a busy dormitory courtyard dispensing suggestions and directions. She urged students to connect with their neighbors. “Just being able to smile at someone you know is a good feeling,” she said.

Alesha Butler-Jones, 19, of Stockton, was one of the few non-freshmen moving in. She said she expects the year to be very different than the last one, when she struggled with being away from home, academics, and being one of the minority of black students on campus.

“It was a very difficult adjustment,” said her mother, Audrey Butler.

“There’s only a small amount of us here, it was hard to adjust,” Butler-Jones said. “But I did it and it got easier with time.”

“We talked about it this morning,” her mother said. “It’s going to be better for her. She knows what to expect being away from mom.” She added, “I don’t feel tears today - but I’ll probably cry when I get home.”

Marisa Wax, who is from Encino, was not feeling anxious. She was excited. She said she was a premature baby with a physical condition that caused her to develop excess water on the brain and had never expected to get to college.

“This is a great day because of all the adversity she has overcome to get to this day,” said her mother, Bobbi Wax.

“It’s freshman year. I have my tools, and I know how to handle it,” said Marisa Wax.

Thank goodness for that single room, she said. She is a musician. She plays the guitar, especially when she gets anxious, which is often. Her parents know that.

“They don’t want me to bother my roommate when I pull out my guitar at two in the morning and start writing songs,” she said.

Then it was off to unpack.

You can reach Staff Writer Jeremy Hay at 521-5212 or jeremy.hay@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jeremyhay.