Interaction between Baker University students was strong the first official week back, as the annual welcome week activities kept everyone very busy and adjusted new students to life in college.
Sophomore Ashlee Cornett, Student Activities Council recreation leader, said the events are geared at especially letting the freshmen feel welcome and for the entire campus to interact with one another.
“The events are directed at the freshmen, like going on a campus tour and meeting with their adviser,” Cornett said. “The parts that people will be most excited about are the evening activities.”
To start the week off, Saturday was dedicated to an all-campus picnic and activities fair, which let incoming students visit booths about all the different clubs and activities around campus. Cornett said several freshmen expressed interest in not only the week’s activities, but also college life itself.
Freshman Kaci Forsythe said she had not realized that she would be living for months in the dorms.
“I don’t think it’s quite hit me that I’m actually in college yet,” Forsythe said. “It’s like I’m at camp or something.”
Sunday gave students the opportunity to gather at the Osborne Chapel for fellowship, a brunch and the first service of the school year. Then everyone had the option of attending “Strange Like Me,” an interactive program presented by GTC Dramatic Dialogues that focused on diversity, date rape and substance abuse.
SAC president Jonathan Affalter, senior, said the Sunday evening activity, a performance by mentalist Daniel James, would most likely create the largest audience.
“All the campus will probably pack the house,” Affalter said.
Affalter was right – the auditorium was packed. James interacted with some of the audience he placed on stage for the show, as they would sleep on his command, for example.
Freshman Cody Conover could not believe his eyes.
“It was so cool I thought it was fake,” Conover said.
Casino night was one of the biggest evening activities, during which people could play black jack, poker, bingo, roulette or even board games. The prizes were the main attraction, which included items like a mini foosball table and a digital camera.
“It’s a great bonding experience for all the students just playing games and mingling,” Cornett said.
Tuesday was especially for the freshmen to be acclimated to college, as they had scheduled times to meet with their advisers, go to question forums, visit a campus work job fair and go on a tour around campus. That night the comedy movie “The Benchwarmers” was shown.
Affalter said welcome week used to be the week before recruitment.
“I wish we could go back to how it was three years ago where welcome week was one week before (recruitment) and then there wouldn’t be all the restrictions on the greeks,” Affalter said.
Although students involved with greek life were allowed to attend most of the week’s activities, some like casino night were off limits. No matter what, though, the week helped everyone relax before classes began, Cornett said.
“It’s just kind of a nice way to wind down and get ready to start the school year,” Cornett said.