By Cynthia Retamozo
Presidential Convocation The incoming freshmen received President Joseph Aoun well as he urged them to take advantage of their college years during the Presidential Convocation. During this mandatory gathering, President Aoun urged the new students to explore different opportunities and embrace change instead of fearing it. “It looked like a graduation,” said freshman pharmacy major Dennis Tung. “But we were being welcomed. I liked how he talked about college being about new experiences and how he encouraged us to try new stuff.” Other freshmen said Aoun seemed more than a typical high school principal, let alone university president. “He seemed to be really involved with everything,” said freshman mechanical engineering major Lee Panecki. “He overall seems like a cool guy.” Final grade: A
Floor Meetings While learning to adjust to living in a residence hall with rules and roommates may not be a top priority for everyone, students are mandated to meet for one night at the beginning of the semester to help do just that. For students, floor meetings were instructive, but a repeat of the rules and regulations they’ve heard several times before. “They were informative,” said Tung. “But I felt that they were repeating the same stuff that we heard at orientation.” Still, students could see the point in the meetings and found them effective. “It was good to meet the [resident assistants,” said Joe Mandell, also a sophomore business major. “And they got right to the point.” Final Grade: B
Moving In Many freshmen and upperclassmen found moving in stress-free, despite some elevator traffic and parking difficulties. The added help of Welcome Week volunteers seemed to make the process move with ease. “The volunteers would bring my stuff from Columbus garage to the elevator,” said Matt Atchue, a sophomore behavioral neuroscience major. “Then I would bring it from the elevator to my room. It was very smooth and didn’t take very long.” After getting their belongings into the residence halls, most students found everything set up and waiting for them, though with some assembly required. “The rooms were surprisingly clean,” said sophomore nursing major Sonia Rosales. “But one of the beds wasn’t assembled so we had to put it together.” Final grade: B+
First Day of Classes Between professors discussing the course load and realizing the high cost of text books, there is a lot to take in on the first day of classes. But many students said their main focus on the first day was on the professors. “My professors were good,” said sophomore biology major Erica Teveris. “We jumped right into the subject and only spent about 10 minutes on the syllabus.” On the down side, some classrooms, especially introductory classes, were short on seats and not properly equipped with computers or projectors. Sophomore political science major Carolyn Durant told of one unfortunate student. “A poor kid with a crutch had to sit on the floor,” she said. Final grade: B+
Activities Fair The quads outside Ell Hall and Snell Library were packed with students eager to check out what clubs and activities Northeastern offers. Dozens of tables were set up with upperclassmen representing organizations while giving away Frisbees, water bottles, candy, raffling off Ipods and other such things. “There’s a lot of people and a lot of tables to go to,” said freshman pharmacy major Dennis Pu. “There’s almost too little time to check them all out.” With special interest clubs ranging from intramural sports to politically affiliated clubs, students agreed that there was a club to match everyone’s interest. With so much to prepare and execute during Welcome Week, the university’s overall preparation and hard work has seemed to prove itself. Northeastern has passed the student’s grading with an impressive report card. The question now is whether the students can make fairly similar grades in the classroom. Final grade: A
