Inside was a lofted bed, a desk, shelves, and not much else. He’d haul in a PC, mini fridge, and other college accoutrements later. It was one of the few single-person rooms there.

“You get a nice picture of the moon outside your window ‘cuz hall decorations,” said Robby Pollitt, a resident assistant there, as he cranked opened the room’s window to let in some slightly less-hot air from outside. “You also get a nice view of the dining hall.”

Kooyer transferred this year to Bemidji State University after two years at Anoka Technical College, where he studied electronic engineering technology. Now, he said, he’s angling for an applied engineering degree at BSU.

Why BSU in particular?

“There’s an articulation agreement with Anoka Tech, so that kinda helped sort of push the decision,” Kooyer, who’s from Duluth, said. “I’ve had family go here for the longest time. I’ve got grandparents who’ve gone here.”

This year would be Kooyer’s first living in dorms, he said, and he wasn’t alone: outside, hundreds of incoming Bemidji State University students streamed into dorms Friday at the school’s annual move-in day.

University administrators and campus police directed traffic through parking lots while Beaver athletes helped students haul their luggage into their new homes. President Faith Hensrud met new freshmen outside Oak Hall, and chatted outside Tamarack later that morning.

Inside Tamarack, freshmen Caitlin Stern and Tiana Steele were arranging their shared room on the fourth floor. Out in the hallway, a steady flow of people lugged TVs, shelves, clothes, mini fridges and box fans up the dorm’s narrow staircases.

Stern and Steele met on a Facebook group for the class of 2022 and decided to live together this year. Move-in Day was the first time they’d met in real life, they said.

Steele is from St. Paul and plans to study biology with a cellular and molecular emphasis. Stern is from Sauk Rapids, and plans to study social studies and elementary education.

She moved in a week earlier after taking a short math course here, and Steele moved in early Friday, which meant she beat the mid-morning rush. Through their window: trees and a glimpse of Lake Bemidji.

“I’ve just been kind of really excited and psyched to get up here,” said Steele.

Their first classes are scheduled for Monday.