Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/579145
109 M oving to college can be traumatic and intimidating, but being the first student in the newest dorm can help ease the stress. University of Iowa freshman soball player Erin Riding is the answer to a trivia question. Riding became the first student since 1968 — when Slater Residence Hall was built — to move into a new dorm when she entered the Mary Louise Petersen Residence Hall in August. "I found out mid-summer that I was going to be in the new dorm," Riding said. "I honestly could not have been more excited. When I found out, I immediately texted my roommate, Brooke Rozier, and we were both excited we were going to be in the new dorm." Riding didn't know that she was making history while she was moving in. "I didn't know I was the first student to move in," she said. "Once I got there people were telling me, and I was like 'Oh I just made history, that's pretty cool.'" Riding was the first of nearly 6,000 students moving into the new dorm — the first residence hall to open on the UI campus in more than 40 years. A month later, Riding is still getting used to all the things her new home has to offer. "I like the open lounges, they have televisions in them," Riding said. "e rooms are more open, and the ceilings are tall, so I don't bump my head in the morning, which is nice because I'm pretty tall." It has been smooth sailing for Riding and Rozier, who is also a freshman on the soball team. e resources available make school and soball easier for somebody with a packed schedule. Having a roommate that is a student-athlete is one of those perks that helps both teammates on a daily basis. "We motivate each other to get up early in the morning for workouts (the soball team practices at 7 each morning in the fall)," said Riding. "It's a good environment to live with a teammate." Meeting people is part of the freshman experience and being from another part of the country makes it even more fascinating for Riding. "People are so welcoming," Riding said. "It's a cool way to meet friends that are from a different part of the country." As for the soball team, the McKinney, Texas, native hopes to contribute immediately on the mound for a team that is hungry for more pitching. "I've never been more excited to get on the field," Riding said. "College is going to be great and I'm expecting a great season." OCTOBER SCHEDULE Oct. 3 vs. Northern Iowa (Des Moines, Iowa) at Drake Oct. 4 vs. Iowa State (Des Moines, Iowa)