Movin' on out: Students of UNC prepare to leave for the summer

Kelsey Barber was already tired of the annual tradition.

After all, she was pushing a small refrigerator, two storage units and a bag on a dolly while she lugged a guitar on her back -- and it was only her first trip to the car of the day.

"This is the worst day ever," said Barber, a sophomore sports and exercise science major, with a slight chuckle. "I freaking hate moving out."

With the final of the Scantron answer sheets turned in and graduation taking place today, thousands of students bid adieu to the 2007-2008 school year -- and the humble abodes they called home on the campus of the University of Northern Colorado.

According to Nate Haas, spokesman for the university, about 3,100 -- or one quarter -- of the 12,400 students that attend the university live on campus. This includes the dorms as well as the Arlington Park Apartments and the University Apartments.

For some, the move out was a bit of a chore. Brendan Sullivan helped his son Seamus, a freshman marketing major, move out of Turner Hall. Sullivan wondered what kind of an education his son was getting at UNC as he exited the elevator.

"Obviously they never teach Packing 101 here at this school," Brendan Sullivan said.

Though upset about the prospect of several more trips to her car from the 14th floor of Lawrenson Hall -- which often has a 10-20 minute wait for the elevators that service the 17-story structure -- she said it will be bittersweet to leave.

"Basically, you make all these friends during the year, and you just end up having to leave them anyways," said Barber, who lives in Longmont for the summer.

Students are not the only ones reluctant to see the year come to an end as the annual exodus of students during the summer will likely once again have a major impact on the several businesses that surround the campus. While managers of several campus-area businesses said they don't feel the impact of less college students in Greeley, several others said they were sure to feel it.

Brandie Kephart, manager of Silvermine Subs, located about a block away from West Campus at 2515 11th Ave. in Greeley, said that about half of the store's business comes from UNC students. As a result, the store usually only pulls in about $1,500 a day during the summer, as compared to between $1,800 and $2,500 during a school day.

Tonya Eaton said the Chipotle Mexican Grill, 807 17th St., in its second year of operation across from Kepner Hall, will still feel the loss -- despite a growing consumer base.

"Well I don't know, our business, it's only a year old so most of our consumers are the college people," Eaton said. "But I think we're starting to get a few more people, you know, outside of the college area as customers.

"So it's kind of hard to say this summer. Last summer it affected us a lot."

Jackie Duba, who lives near Cranford and 14th Avenue, said the effect of the students could be felt far beyond the economic sector. Yet, the prospect of a quieter summer is something she is not too enthused about.

"I notice a difference but I don't have a preference because I don't think there's a negative impact at all," Duba said. "I mean, if anything, I wish the students would stay over the weekends and bring more music to town.

"Yeah, I wish we were more of a college town than we are."

For Barber, though, she must first must get the massive amount of clothes, movies and other belongings the several hundred feet from her room to the car. On the bright side, schlepping load after load to her car could be a workout of sorts.

"Oh yeah, it's nice," said Barber, the exhaustion-induced sarcasm beginning to show. "I'm definitely sweating like a fat cow. I'm loving it."