On move-in day at Columbia College, new students said they felt a range of emotions.
"I'm feeling pretty positive, pretty optimistic, but nervous. My stomach hurts," said Elora, who is moving to the city from what she said is a small town in Wisconsin.
But it isn't her first time in Chicago.
"I've visited a lot," she said. "Enough to know that this is probably the right decision."
Her mom Nicole said she was right there with her in feeling all sorts of emotions.
"Nervous, excited, grief and strangeness," she said. "Anything that a mother feels when they send their first off to college, or any of their children."
Elora was one of more than 600 students who moved in Monday.
Many said they were especially excited to be living on their own for the first time and decorate their space the way they want to.
"I'm excited that I'm not going to be living with any men and that I can make it look as cute and girly as I want," Elora said. She is the oldest of four, including three brothers.
"Having a theme is the biggest thing, especially with me and my roommates," said Akana Stiff, who is very ready for a change of scenery.
"Just meeting new people and taking new chances and doing something different with my life. That's what I'm excited about," Stiff said.
Stella Ford is from Louisville, Kentucky and said she was in a great mood on move-in day, excited to be living in a new city.
"I've always wanted to live in Chicago," she said. "I looked around here at some of the schools and Columbia communicated with me the best. Also with scholarships and stuff. It worked out right at the end."
She had some help from her parents, and her dad Martin Ford couldn't help but smile when talking about his daughter.
"I'm very excited. It was time for her to get out into the world and build her toolbox and get out and do her thing," he said.
He said move-in went smoothly, from the massive boxes they were able to rent, to all of the helpers, which included some of Columbia's leaders.
"There are two times throughout the year in which I just could not be more filled with excitement. One is move-in day and the second is going to be commencement when I'm graduating the students," said Shantay Bolton, Colombia College President and CEO.
She said move-in also fell on the institution's 135th birthday, making it an even more exciting time to be able to personally welcome and get to know the new students and their families.
"I'm definitely proud," she said. "I also feel a sense of humility to have the responsibility to lead this institution at a time when they are begriming their aspirations for a future career as a creative."
Bolton was named Columbia's 11th president in March. She took on the role as the College has been dealing with fiscal challenges over the past several years.
In June, 20 full-time faculty members were laid off as part of planned cuts to academic programs, in an attempt to address a $38 million budget deficit. That news came about a year after 70 staffers were laid off and nearly 20 "underperforming" majors were cut in September of 2024.
Despite the uncertainty around department cuts and staff reductions, Bolton said she is approaching the new school year with a positive attitude.
"It has been a difficult time but here we are now," she said. "We're bringing in a new class of students. They bring vibrancy to our campus. They're going to bring new impacts not only to Chicago but ultimately to the creative professions, and I know what they're going to experience, what they're going to learn will make a world of difference in continuing to help build on our legacy for another 135 years. "