By Sarah Masessa, news correspondent 

Before deadlines and homework begin piling up, Northeastern University’s Welcome Week 2014 provides a chance for students to get involved and find out what the campus has to offer. The festivities began on Wednesday, Aug. 27 with Welcome Week information sessions and will come to a close on Saturday, Sept. 6, when various clubs and organizations host activities around campus.

Here are some top picks for Welcome Week 2014:

Like music? New England natives Three Day Threshold took the stage at afterHOURS for the first concert of the year.  The musicians were voted “Best Local Band” by Boston Magazine.

On Monday, Sept. 1, students received a warm welcome back to campus with a free festival celebrating the start of a new semester with music, games, prizes, trivia and a chance to learn more about the hundreds of student-run clubs and activities at Northeastern. The festival stretched from Centennial Commons and West Village to Krentzman Quad.

Anna Lloyd, a freshman hoping to major in business, said the Fall Fest was a fun way to interact more with the Northeastern community.

“I’m from a small town down south, so moving to a big city is definitely a big change for me,” she said. “All of the Welcome Week activities thus far have really helped me see firsthand what makes Northeastern so great. Everyone is so friendly, outgoing and involved. Northeastern is definitely the school for me.”

On Sept. 5, Northeastern’s Office of Prevention and Education and Northeastern (O.P.E.N.) and other student organizations are hosting Dr. Drew, host of Teen Mom, Celebrity Rehab and Loveline for a question and answer session entitled “Sex. Drugs. Dr. Drew.”

“He came to campus in 2009 and the event had a similar format – Dr. Drew spoke about his background and specialty in sexual health as well as substance abuse,” Elizabeth Fell, the program administrator of O.P.E.N., said. “Student Q&A drove most of the show, and we received great feedback from students about how the event was entertaining and also informative. During the upcoming event, students can ask him questions about alcohol, drugs, sex, relationships and health in general.”

Fell said she thinks the event will resonate well with all students – not just freshmen new to the college scene.

Schedules should be jam-packed the first week on campus. Welcome back, Huskies!

Photo courtesy Tali Soroker