Hope, joy, heavy lifting

Harvard Yard awoke from its summer slumber on Wednesday as members of the Class of 2030 were greeted by campus regulars eager to welcome the first-year students to their new home.

Among the fresh faces was Nathaniel Shugarman, who arrived from the Florida Keys.

“This is incredible, to be here,” said Shugarman. “I’m definitely nervous about the classes and adjusting from high school, but I’m excited for all the people. It’s incredible. It feels so historic and electric.”

His mother, Megan Shugarman, described her emotions.

“I’m feeling super blessed and grateful. It’s the end of a childhood era, so that part makes me sad. But I’m so excited, and everything’s been so friendly and open.”

Also moving a plane ride away from her family was Bethany King, a water polo player from Santa Barbara, California.

“I’m pumped. I’ve been greeted with lots of vibes, high energy. It’s getting me excited for my four years,” she said, grinning alongside her parents, Sheryl and Brian. “If this is my first day at Harvard, shoot, what’s going to be in the next four years?”

King said already, she’s making tons of friends.

“It’s just like Instagram requests,” she said. “Follow, follow, follow, follow.”

Moving closer to home was Ilaria Luna, whose father, Franceso, and sister Esther patiently waited with her belongings outside Wigglesworth Hall. Harvard is closer to their hometown of Washington, D.C., than Shanghai, where Luna just finished a gap year.

“We were empty-nesters last year,” Francesco said. “So we’ve been through this.”

Likewise Thomas Grieser’s parents, who live in Newton, Massachusetts. Thomas spent the past five years attending Eton College in the United Kingdom.

“I’m excited to have him closer to home,” his mother, Kathleen, said as the pair took a break from moving boxes into Straus Hall. “And my husband and I both went to Harvard, so it really feels like a homecoming.”

Outside Matthews Hall, Leah Wurzburger guarded her daughter Hannah’s pile of belongings while helpers lugged her first load up several flights. Watching the third of her three kids move into College was bittersweet, she said.

“She’s my baby,” she said. “It’s very emotional, but I’m very excited for her. I’m very excited for all the opportunities.”

And while this wasn’t her first college move-in rodeo, it was her first with a daughter, Wurzburger said. To sum up her feelings becoming an empty-nester, she quoted Stephen Sondheim lyrics.

“I’m excited and scared,” she said. “Hannah’s a little bit nervous, mainly excited, and I’m all those things plus very sad.”

President Alan Garber was out in the Yard, greeting students and parents.

“I get a huge burst of energy meeting each incoming student, and from all I’ve heard and what I’ve seen today, this will be an incredible group of Harvard students,” Garber said.