As her peers scrambled to find the right classrooms or stood in line to pay for books, Kali Dessalines took a few minutes to escape from the stresses that come with the first day of school.

The 22-year-old from Santa Barbara sat in the courtyard of the bell tower building at California State University, Channel Islands, and enjoyed a quick chair massage.

"That was wonderful," said Dessalines, a new transfer student majoring in liberal studies. "I think it's a really wonderful campus. Everyone has been really nice."

The free massage was just one of the perks being offered to welcome students to the campus. As they strode through the courtyard between classes Monday, students could get henna art painted on an ankle, have a charcoal drawing done, pick up free yo-yos and sticky notes and help themselves to slices of hot pizza and cans of cold soda.

Uriah Anderson munched on the pizza and contemplated a transfer to CSUCI from CSU Northridge, where he's majoring in psychology. Anderson, 21, is already taking one class at CSUCI, and thinks maybe he'd like to move to the campus for good.

"It's a lot better-looking campus," he said. "Just the atmosphere; it's new, it's fresh, it's convenient."

In all, the full-time equivalent of 1,623 students are taking classes at CSUCI this fall, the university's second year of operation. Since it opened last year, the campus has been a hub of activity.

Two majors, history and psychology, were added this year; 18 more full-time professors were hired; a new science building has been constructed; and the freshly renovated gym will open Wednesday.

But the biggest change on campus this year has to be the addition of freshmen. When the campus opened last fall, the first students were juniors and seniors transferring from other institutions. This year, enrollment expanded to include the first freshman class, about 250 students.

One of those freshmen is Anderson's sister, Maegen, an 18-year-old political science major from Bakersfield who wanted to attend Channel Islands in part because it is new and in part because it's located so near the beach.

"I'm stoked about it. I think it'll be fun," she said as she ate pizza with her brother. "It'll be very exciting to be part of the first graduating freshman class."

University President Richard Rush got a chance to meet some of the first freshmen while he strolled the campus Monday. The new students' presence was already having an impact on the university, he said.

"There is a different feeling with freshmen on campus," Rush said. "There is a sense that we're becoming a complete university. The enthusiasm they bring is exhilarating."

Becca Glazier, the university's first student government president, agrees the freshmen are a nice addition to the growing campus. Glazier hopes to recruit some of the new underclassmen into the school's student government.

"I think the freshmen are going to make a big difference," she said. "I think they're going to bring a lot of youth and enthusiasm to the campus."