By Elizabeth Dudek

Last weekend approximately 2,800 freshmen stepped onto the Northeastern University campus and began to settle into a new way of life, but the question still remains as to whether or not the same 2,800 will enroll again next year after experiencing their first full week.

With retention rates on the rise, university officials said they expect to find more of this year’s freshman class returning next year than the previous classes. Philomena Mantella, vice president for enrollment management and student affairs, said the retention rates are some of the highest she has seen.

“Everything I’ve heard from parents and students is more positive than ever before. [Of the class of 2007] 88 percent came back in 2003, the highest percent ever,” she said.

The university is currently calculating the retention results for the class of 2008, and it appears as if 89 percent returned for a second year, Mantella said. The plan is to have 90 percent of the current freshmen return as sophomores. Mantella said this 1 percent rise each year is one of the highest retention rate jumps in the country.

However, even with all the positive feedback, freshmen said they found the move to be a bit of a shock to their system.

Less than a week into the new school year, freshman Justina Alicudo found that “college life is a lot harder to get used to.” After finding that her room conditions were not ideal in Kerr Hall, she moved herself and all of her belongings over to Speare Hall.

Other freshmen, such as Colleen Batkis, a music industry major, shared the same feelings as Alicudo, especially when it comes to the size of the rooms.

“These rooms are way too small. I feel bad for anyone who is in an economy triple,” Batkis said.

The size of the rooms was not the only problem freshmen were facing. Problems with flooding in the bathrooms also topped the complaint list.