A line of cars wind through the streets, maintaining an agonizingly slow pace as duffel bag-clad students hurry about them in confusion. Stacks of clothes bins, mattress pads and Keurig boxes cram the already suffocating dorm hallways, forming an obstacle course for any unlucky soul trying to navigate toward a corner room. Awkward chatter, worried maternal questions and tear-ridden goodbyes are heard all throughout the floor, creating an atmosphere of nervous excitement as the so-proclaimed “next chapter” is about to begin. It’s freshman move-in day — a day that some fledgling Terps have had on their minds since before throwing their cap at high school graduation, a day that marked the beginning of an action-packed week devoid of any major school-related responsibilities. Despite a few bumps in the road, Fall Welcome and various other opening events proved to be just what freshmen needed to find their footing on the campus.
“I felt very welcome,” Jaclyn Troutner, a freshman enrolled in letters and sciences, said. “There was a positive, inclusive vibe at everything I attended. There wasn’t anything that felt forced or out of touch.”
The Department of Resident Life was the main source of entertainment on the campus, hosting Fall Welcome with events such as the RHA House Party, The B1G Show Athletic Kickoff and the Fall Welcome FreeFest. In addition to Fall Welcome, the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life held a Meet the Greeks info-session on McKeldin Mall, and Terps After Dark collaborated with the Student Entertainment Events to put together an end-of-first-week-misery concert featuring BØRNS.
“The concert was incredible,” freshman bioengineering major Max Napolitano said. “The limited availability of seats and lack of direct advertising meant many of my friends were unable to come with me, but I had fun and met new friends, nonetheless.”
Despite the positive feedback surrounding Fall Welcome, there was one event that proved to be a colossal mess — the official New Student Welcome at Xfinity Center. Both acoustic problems and lack of energy prompted dozens of students to try to leave before the event was even over.
“Having the head officials of a school speak to the new class is pretty standard,” Troutner said. “Unfortunately, everyone on the upper tier couldn’t hear a single word they were saying. On the plus side, I got to bond with my roommate. On the other, there’s no way of knowing how important the content of those speeches were.”
Overall, the university’s goal of getting freshmen acclimated to the new school was a success.
“I’m starting to find my spot on-campus,” said Napolitano. “It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but on the whole I think I’m getting the hang of this college thing.”
