Amid the hustle and bustle of hauling boxes, lugging carts and farewell dinners, thousands descended on McDonough Gymnasium Sunday to watch Georgetown officially welcome its newest students to the Hilltop during New Student Convocation.

Forming a line that snaked from the arena all the way to the west end of Harbin Hall, anxious parents and fidgety siblings appeared to be unsure whether they would be able to find seating inside or would have to sit in the steaming tent just outside the entrance.

For parents sending their first child off to college, the wait offered a few more moments to hang on before saying goodbye.

“I think about how my child’s going to live on her own, being responsible for her own behavior,” said Farrell Pitts, the father of Hannah Pitts (COL ’09), while waiting in line. “But we looked at other schools, and Georgetown had the best environment.”

It took about an hour to seat parents on the McDonough bleachers as New Student Orientation captains and advisers rushed left and right, passing out programs and directing wayward relatives, all working to ensure the ceremony started on time.

“It’s not hard work, you have too much fun so you forget about the work,” New Student Orientation captain Annie O’Brien (NHS ’06) said before the start of the ceremony. “Everyone’s pretty excited.”

Shortly after noon, the Georgetown University Orchestra began playing, and the faculty procession made its ceremonial entry into the arena, led by university Registrar John Pierce (COL ’72) and the Hoya Battalion Army ROTC honor guard.

Dr. James J. O’Donnell, the university provost, welcomed the students after they had finally settled in.

“This is a moment for crossing the threshold, taking a deep breath and plunging into water that will never seem so chilly again,” O’Donnell said. “Welcome to your new home.”

In his characteristic tongue-in-cheek fashion, O’Donnell offered some statistics about the incoming class.

“Forty-nine percent of you are males. Fifty-one percent of you were smart enough to find matching chromosomes. Congratulations. Your parents will receive tuition bills this year amounting to 80.1 million dollars. Thank you. Your class is receiving $14.5 million in scholarships. You’re welcome,” O’Donnell deadpanned.

Senior David C. Fajgenbaum (NHS ’06), this year’s recipient of the McTighe Prize, delivered a poignant address discussing the support he received from the Georgetown community after his mother died from cancer during his freshman year. Fajgenbaum created Students of Ailing Mothers and Fathers, a campus support group for students coping with terminally ill family members.

The McTighe Prize, awarded by the New Student Convocation Council, honors an undergraduate student who demonstrates outstanding achievements in service and scholarship. It is named for the late Dr. Thomas P. McTighe, who was a faculty member at Georgetown for over 40 years.

“This is a place of unconditional love,” Fajgenbaum said. “I think it is this kind of unconditional love that makes Georgetown a unique place.”

“Make the most of your time here,” he said in his closing remarks. “You must choose a path forged with love, compassion, and dedication. Welcome to Georgetown, welcome home.”

Dr. Steven Sabat, a professor in the psychology department, told the new students to use their education to benefit people and the world around them.

“During your years at Georgetown, you will have the opportunity to learn a great deal,” Sabat said. “But learning is not geared towards getting a job or entering a post-grad program. [It’s better] to be appreciative of this life and the degree to which our lives are intertwined.”

Sabat also commented on the fickleness of human beings, and cautioned students against believing their futures were ordained from the start of college.

“If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans,” Sabat said. “It is one thing to be at peace with `I know,’ but it’s another thing to be at peace with `I don’t know.'”

University President John J. DeGioia rounded out the speakers, presiding over the traditional donning of the scholastic robe worn by candidates for the bachelor’s degree.

“There is no day quite like this day,” DeGioia said. “Each year for more than two centuries, young people brimming with promise have begun a journey that will shape tomorrow.”

DeGioia cited a recent archaeological find in Egypt, describing the excavation of the famed University of Alexandria.

“It had ancient walls lined with benches turned towards a lecturer. Some ideas cannot be improved upon,” DeGioia said.

The new students participated in an exercise led annually by DeGioia that revealed that only 1/100 of one percent of the world’s population has access to an education at a major American research institution.

Forty-two percent of the world’s population, or 2.7 billion people, live on less than two dollars a day, DeGioia said.

“You are living a life far beyond the imagination of many human beings,” he said.

After the convocation was over, many new students said they were pleased with the speakers.

“I thought they were good at welcoming us into the community and keeping us grounded,” Edouard Nicolas (COL ’09) said. “Four years is a long time.”

“I loved the speeches,” Phil McClymont (COL ’09) said. “Honestly, I had my iPod in my pocket but I didn’t use it.”