Elke's Blog

I still fret too much about getting to class on time and not tripping on the front steps. My roommate offered to take my picture as I waited for the bus, and I forgot my snacks on the kitchen counter – the same as the first day of kindergarten.

Classes today seemed like a day of rest after 10 days of Welcome Week. Friday evening until Wednesday morning was considered Prep Week, and freshmen arrival Wednesday evening for Convocation meant the official beginning of the U of M’s first Welcome Week. I took a lot of hours – probably 150-200hrs for the week – but I survived, and I truly feel like this year’s incoming class has the tools to start their college career well. As a leader I got the perks of knowing most of the surprises in advance while still being able to play giant Jenga… The free food and free shirts would have been enough anyways – definitely the way to any college students’ heart.

Welcome Week could not have been any better, amazing execution for its inaugural year. The days were packed to the brim with presentations, activities, and amazing sidetrips: Nickelodeon Universe and the State Fair, volunteering off-campus, and shuttles downtown and uptown.

The best part: I got to be on the Mariucci JumboTron!!! Never before had I been so nervous. I was fine sitting to the side, waiting for my turn, even while looking the 2500+ audience. Only when I looked up at the huge screen and saw myself up there did I start to feel the butterflies in my stomach and worry about mispronouncing the German sentence.

A year ago, starting my freshman year, I would never have thought that college would feel like “normal life� now. After a summer of working sometimes as much as 45 hours a week and still finding time to go to the cabin, celebrate birthdays, and visit family out-of-state, I couldn’t wait to dive right into classwork. Campus just wasn’t the same, without all of the activity – and to be honest, it wasn’t much easier trying to find a parking space when school wasn’t in session.

The semester is starting off perfectly (although there has only been a day for anything drastic to go wrong) – the homework seems manageable, the dishes haven’t had the chance to pile up at the apartment, and I found all of my buildings on the map.