Week of Welcome Recap

Movie on the Plaza:

“Is it free? Is it FREE? IS IT FREE?” was used quite often Saturday night at the “Movie on the Plaza” Week of Welcome event. It was great to be able to walk around and see so many newcomers to UA’s campus, in addition to all of the returning students that came out to experience this event. The Movie on the Plaza gave off a friendly/homely environment that drew a large amount of people. Snow cones and popcorn were served throughout the night, as well as soft drinks and water-- all for FREE. Members of Team Ferg were excited to be passing out unique UA Remembers bracelets along with Week of Welcome goodie bags filled with coupons, Frisbees and other give-a-ways. With all of those great FREE items in hand, event attendees then got to experience a FREE showing of the movie “Despicable Me”. This event was one of the first major Week of Welcome events available to all students, and it started and ended in a great way. After last night I’m glad to attend a university that gives to its students and does not expect anything in return, expect for you to excel and enjoy yourself.

Bama Belle Riverboat Cruise:

On Sunday, August 21^st, a couple of friends and I went on the Bama Belle Riverboat Cruise. The Bama Belle Riverboat Cruise takes you up a little ways up and back down the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa. The hour and a half cruise consisted of a free drink and a tour guide who gave interesting facts about the Black Warrior River and some history of Tuscaloosa. Definitely an interesting and soothing experience, but boy was it HOT!  My two friends and I sat at the bottom of the boat and looked out at Tuscaloosa & Northport and talked amongst each other. The given opportunity to go on that cruise was amazing. How often do you get a chance to kick back and relax with some friends on a FREE cruise?

Fun at the Rec:

Fun at the Rec….was truly fun at the Rec. The new freshman class has so much life. They were so full of energy, even on a Sunday night! The UA Rec Center had so many things going on at one time-- from dancing, to playing real live Battle Ship in the indoor pool, to playing laser tag and rock climbing! Students came and enjoyed the games and the free give-a-ways. Fun at the Rec was a success to me and a really good opportunity for students to meet each other. 

Splash of Crimson:

On Monday, August 22^nd in the Ridgecrest South Community dorms and in the dorms in Tutwiler, “Sips n Strokes” came and gave the Tide a Splash of Crimson. The instructor guided the students in how to paint a cute little owl, while other students learned to paint their own unique paintings. Jimmy John’s was served as the snack at the event. 

Convocation:

On Tuesday, August 23rd, the incoming class of 2015 joined with current UA students to begin their journey of excellence. During Convocation, the incoming freshman learned that they are the largest freshman class with the highest GPA's to ever enroll in at The University of Alabama. That was my first Convocation here at UA, and it was a memorable and inspiring event. I would like to congratulate the incoming class here at the Capstone and give them a big Roll Tide!

Week of Welcome Breakfast:

What better way to start off your morning than with a free breakfast? On Wednesday, the first day of classes, Krispy Kreme doughnuts were served outside the Ferg as a part of Week of Welcome. The fun continued on Thursday when Chick-Fil-A chicken minis were served. Water, Gatorade, and soft drinks were also given out in addition to the free breakfast. Once again, everything was free and given out with a smile. I liked the Welcome Back Breakfast. I overheard students saying how awesome it was to attend UA because of all things they had experienced during Week of Welcome. They believed that if they had gone anywhere else for college, they would have not had such a amazing first experience.