There's an old saying about stuffing 10 pounds of manure into a 5-pound bag.

Apply that to college life and it proved true Thursday as 330 freshmen moved into their new Carroll College dorm, toting everything but the kitchen sink.

However, some did bring the refrigerator.

And their stuffed bunny.

And their favorite blanket.

And their pet fish.

"We used the size of the car as the constant," said Joe Phillips, father of freshman Lizzy Phillips. "We brought the (Toyota) Highlander. She wanted me to rent a bigger car so she could bring more things."

Compared to the pile of goods sitting outside some rooms at Guadeloupe Hall, the freshman dorm, Phillips managed to keep her packing to a minimum.

She did, however, insist on brining her pet Beta.

"Me and my best friend got them two years ago," Lizzy said. "It didn't survive the trip very well."

The fish looked as though it would come around in time, as would Phillips's parents, who had the tough job of saying goodbye to their only daughter.

"Time has been so short -- it's gone so fast," said Mrs. Phillips. "But I think it's going to be exciting for her."

"It's something she has to do," added Mr. Phillips. "It's part of growing up."

Lizzy met her new college chums early in the day. The trio got off to a fast start, giggling away the morning as they turned the bland college room into their own private retreat.

"I brought the blanket I've had since I was a baby," said Oregon native Stasi Regan. "It was really bright when I got it. Now it's faded."

Regan's mother, Robin, watched the activity from the bed. She loaded up her daughter with a box of toothbrushes, a fitting goodbye for the aspiring dentist.

"After she got the key and started down the stairs, I started to tear up," Robin said.

Carroll gave the incoming freshmen a warm welcome. Elder students dressed in purple T-shirts helped unload the arriving cars and carry the goods into the dorm. They'd even decorated the doors with paper balloons, each sporting the tenants' names and their hometown.

The major move-in proved raucous at times. Music blared from dorm windows and students ran up and down the halls. Young men sported muscle shirts and kept their eyes on new arrivals.

Jim Carney, director of Guadeloupe Hall, has the three-fold duty of managing the dorm, handing out discipline when necessary, and planning activities to help the students transition to life in college.

Not far removed from his own days in college, Carney couldn't help but grin at the bustle of youthful activity taking place around him.

"They're exploring new things," he said. "They're developing. Some are just further along than others."

Pizzas are ordered at 1 a.m. Some run through the halls at 11 p.m. The energy is high and it's Carney's job to maintain some sense of order.

"You have the parents here, the students here, and the staff here," he said. "You're starting a new journey. For some students it's really hard. It hits them that they're by themselves."

It's a sentiment that few were willing to admit, including Colorado native and chemistry student Sarah Watson.

With the help of her cousin, Watson unpacked her clothes and set them on the bed in her new room. She had yet to meet her new roommate, though they did communicate by e-mail before Thursday.

"She seems nice," Watson said. "I'll have someone to talk to."

As for that special something to help make her transition easier, Watson grinned.

"I brought my stuffed bunny," she said. "His name is Snuggle Bunny."

Reporter Martin Kidston can be reached at 447-4086 or at mkidston@helenair.com.