Back to school from freshman to senior: a student's view

Editor's Note: This first-person account of the beginning of the school year is by UofL senior Bria Staten-Favors, an intern in the UofL department of communications and marketing.

It’s that time of year again. The bright-eyed freshmen are moving into their residence halls and campus is once again buzzing with activity. Almost 3,000 freshmen are headed to UofL. They've got the highest  average ACT score that UofL has ever seen. And plenty to look forward to. “It’s crazy to be starting school again,” said Sabrina Castille, a senior communication and political science major. “I’m excited but it feels like summer just began.” As Welcome Week kicks off, I can’t help but wonder about the excitement this semester will bring. As a senior, this will be the fourth Welcome Week I’ve attended, and it always precedes a productive and fun academic year. All of the Welcome Week events are great ways for first-year students to get familiar with the campus community. One of the events I always look forward to, the 23rd Annual Icebreaker & All Campus Cookout Presented by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., never fails to be a fun way for freshmen to become acquainted with the National Panhellenic Greek organizations on UofL’s campus. Welcome Week inspired me to join several of the organizations I’m in today. Being a part of campus life has benefited me greatly: Becoming involved made it possible for me to meet new people and make important connections I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Shake It Up at the IFC, another great event, features free milkshakes and the chance to get to know the Interfaith Center as well as UofL’s Religious Life Association. (Note to freshmen: It never hurts to get a free milkshake.) All of this leads to the first day of classes on Aug. 24. With two internships and four classes, this will be a busy semester for me, but I look forward to the hard work and the epic conclusion of graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication in the spring. Welcome!