Meet Brylea Palmer! Brylea is a junior, Apparel Merchandising and Product Development major from Little Rock, Arkansas. Brylea is on the Welcome Weeks Exec. Team and is involved in BSA, AEP, S.T.O.R.E, and AAMPD. She loves smoothies, ice cream, and her most recent obsession, Grey’s Anatomy.
Your student is all moved in; room decorated, mini fridge stocked, and the next thing you know they’re kicking you out the door! They’ve officially left the nest, and you’re probably wondering, what’s next? Why does my student have to jet off to college a week before classes start? The answer to this question is nothing short of two simple words: Welcome Weeks!
Now, as a Welcome Weeks team member, it was only right that I give you all the insights when it comes to these awesome series of events. So, what exactly is Welcome Weeks? Welcome Weeks is a celebration! It takes place during the first two weeks of the fall semester and one week in the spring semester. During these weeks, a plethora of events are hosted to help your student feel comfortable on campus and officially become a part of the Razorback Family. Welcome Weeks hosts new events every year, along with some incredible signature events as well.
Your student will join all their classmates at a huge picnic popularly known as New Student Welcome. This is where they will officially be welcomed to their new home for the next four years! They will meet the Chancellor, Dr. Joe Steinmetz, watch performances by the marching band and spirit squad, and get a cool class of 2022 t-shirt! Your student will also attend the annual freshman pep rally, where they’ll learn traditions and chants, show off some school pride though a spirit competition, and seal the deal by taking a class of 2022 picture on the football field with all their new friends! And this is only a tease of the fun that is to come.
All in all, Welcome Weeks is an amazing opportunity for your student to discover a little more about the campus, their peers, and even themselves! It’s a chance for them to step out of their comfort zones. Leaving for college is tough, but all it takes is for one good thing to happen to be reassured that they belong here, and the goal of Welcome Weeks is to be that good thing. We want every student to be excited that they chose U of A and have the experience of a lifetime! So, there’s no need to fret because your student had to leave a little early. Just know that within that week they are creating bonds and memories that will last a lifetime!