LEWISTON — It was a big day Monday for first-year Bates College student Ryan Rigione, and he got an early start.

By the time the college’s moving-in festivities were getting underway, Rigione and his family, from New Canaan, Connecticut, had already collected his keys and his ID badge, moved him into his dorm and were touring the campus.

“I liked the open and accepting community here,” Rigione said. “And, they had my major: Chinese.”

Rigione was one of 499 first-year students arriving Monday for a busy week leading up to the Sept. 7 start of classes. Kent Fischer, director of media relations, said the first-year students will mostly have the campus to themselves, save for upperclassmen advisers and student athletes.

Their orientation is scheduled for today and they leave on their four-day Annual Entering Student Outdoor Program, or AESOP trips. The trips include hiking, canoeing, boating and community service, guided by upperclassmen.

“Students organize them for the first-years as kind of a welcome-to-Bates, team-building exercise,” Fischer said.

The bulk of sophomore, junior and senior students begin arriving Sunday. Classes start the following Wednesday.

Junior advisers were stationed at the college dormitory entrances and helped students cart their gear indoors. Fischer said much of the excitement Monday focused on the two newest residence halls at 65 and 55 Campus Ave.

“They’re new to everybody,” Fischer said. “We just got the keys ourselves a few weeks ago.”

The modern, multistory buildings have room for 230 beds for students of all ages. A new campus bookstore on the first floor of 65 Campus Ave. opened as well. Fischer said it’s open to the public.

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