By Kayla Callais
Reporter With thousands of Nicholls State University students beginning classes, students ranging from first-time freshmen to graduating seniors will be able to enjoy an entire week of meeting new friends and catching up with old acquaintances beginning today and ending Thursday Aug 30.
Instead of the usual one-day Welcome Back Day celebration, Assistant Director of Auxiliary Services, Allie Johnson, came up with an acronym to get students, faculty and staff excited about the annual return to school. This year’s Welcome Back Day will expand into “WOW,” a Week of Welcome.
“We decided to change welcome activities from one day to one week for various reasons,” Johnson said. “Many students have class during the time of Welcome Back Day, and we want every student to be able to participate in activities. We decided to cater to different student interest and have a wide range of activities to choose from.”
Student Programming Association President, Alyssa Daigle said, “We want students to make new friends and have a fun first week of school. We set up activities at all different times of the day to make sure that students can make at least a few activities they are interested in.”
This week’s activities will kick off with “A Nicholls Fiesta” themed Welcome Back Day in the Quad from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Students will be able to participate in giveaways and costume contests, while listening to music and having free food and drinks.
Local businesses, student organizations and Nicholls Departments will set up booths, including a table to sign up for Greek Recruitment with Panhellenic sororities or Interfraternal Council fraternities.
Sorority Recruitment will begin today with Greek 101, where any questions one may have about Greek life will be answered.
Recruitment will continue until Aug. 26 with Sorority Bid Day.
Fraternity Recruitment will begin on August 27, and it will come to a close on August 31 with Fraternity Bid Day.
Tomorrow, WOW will continue with an International Student Welcome Tea in the Bowie Room at 2 p.m., as well as, a Student Union block party from 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. in front of the Student Union with surprise hip-hop music guest. The festivities will carry into the weekend on Saturday, with a Campus Recreation sponsored pool party from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ayo Pool. On Sunday, the Baptist Collegiate Ministry will be having a service at 9:45 a.m., while St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church will have mass at 7 p.m.
The activities will continue into Aug. 27, with Nicholls Spirit Day.
On that day, every student is encouraged to dress in Nicholls attire and show some school spirit. From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Baptist Collegiate Ministry will host a barbeque on their grounds.
Tuesday, Aug. 28 will bring chainsaw jugglers onto Nicholls campus to perform for students outside the Student Union from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students can dress in their favorite pajamas and watch a movie Aug. 29 in Le Bijou Theatre from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The week will conclude with a Bingo Extravaganza in Bollinger Memorial Student Union from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. where prizes will be awarded.
“I’m excited for the start of a new semester,” Johnson said. “SPA has a big budget for the year, and we will be doing many new activities during the next two semesters.”
“We want our students to be involved and meet new people,” Johnson said.