With the school year settling in, it’s hard for students to forget the first time each of them stepped foot on campus. For the classes of 2029 and 2031, including myself, Welcome Weekend was something I’m sure none of my class will forget. It’s where we got to know the campus layout, the atmosphere, and the students who would become our lifelong friends. Not to mention all the amazing activities set up by the E-mentors, the Programming Board, and all of the clubs the school has to offer. 

 Starting off the weekend was a movie night showing “How to Train Your Dragon” on the Greenway, where I met some new friends and made bonds. That was followed by a weekend whirlwind of events happening all over campus, such as information events to help first years navigate paying for college and finding their way around the town, tours led by the E-mentors, and even a waffle station with the first dog, Walter. The E-mentors themselves even got to have some fun. “My favorite part of Welcome Weekend was the record painting,” said Anthony Kehs, an E-mentor.

“There were a lot of people that showed up and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun, which I appreciate.”

The whole weekend really helped me and a lot of other students become associated with the campus better and how the vibe would be for our next four years. However, the highlight of the weekend for me (and many others) had to be the Drag Bingo. 

 This event was held Saturday night and seemed to be the talk of the weekend as I was walking around campus with my newfound group of friends. The night was filled with laughs, dancing, and of course, tons of fabulous prizes. Even though I did not win any prizes, it was still fun to be able to go and have fun with my friends and fellow freshmen. Katelyn Helmer, a freshman who attended, said, “If it wasn’t for Drag Bingo, I never would have met my friends”. However, Drag Bingo wasn’t the only event happening. 

Sunday, the day before classes, brought a ton of mini sessions where students could just have fun and get messy making items like mini lava lamps, mocktails, and chalk drawings. These activities were hosted by some of the many clubs here on campus.

Valen Geyer, a freshman, said, “I tried rock climbing for the first time [on Sunday], which was cool.” This event was held in the MAC by the Wilkes Adventure Education group, one of the clubs offered on campus.

The students were able to unwind and prepare for a busy week ahead, which was sure to bring some dread (or excitement for me) to the new kids on campus: the first week of classes. 

 Thanks to the classroom tour my E-mentor gave me and a few other students on Saturday, finding my classes on the first week of campus was pretty easy. I also found out that I had classes with some of my new friends. Most of the classes were easy to follow along with, mainly talking about the syllabi and expectations from each professor. Maia Elfar, a freshman, said, “I enjoyed that they had it as a syllabus week because it gave us time to organize ourselves and ultimately set us up for success in future classes.” 

 With all the excitement happening the first week of the new school year, the classes of 2029 and 2031 are sure to look forward to many new and exciting events and possibilities that await them in their next four or six years of their college experience.