Summer 2022 will officially be over for college students in Central Florida as UCF begins its fall semester on Monday morning.

As the new academic year gets started, thousands are returning to the region, and school officials said by July, roughly 7,200 student housing beds on the main campus were already full.

“I’m glad to be back,” said second-year student Aidan Pearson.

Pearson has called Central Florida his home for as long as he can remember.

Before choosing the knights to further his education and study aerospace engineering, the UCF sophomore grew up in Windermere and went to Olympia High School.

“I kind of feel like I’m moving forward in my studies because I wasn’t taking any classes over the summer. I was just working,” he explained.

As students like Pearson get settled in for another semester, the excitement of starting a new chapter has been special for incoming first-year students.

“There’s a lot of school spirit, so I’m super excited to go to the football games, start my classes, and get into my career,” shared first-year student Emma Jones.

Many students on campus have been there for a few days, giving them a chance to get acclimated and prepare for their new schedules.

Classes will officially begin Monday morning, and the fall semester runs through December.