By: Amanda Clarke
\nStaff Writer<\/p>\n
For Western\u2019s New Student Week (NSW), which took place Sept. 20-26, first-year students were invited to walk the red carpet and learn more about WOU\u2019s campus and their fellow students.<\/p>\n
The theme of this year\u2019s NSW was “HollyWOUd: Lights, Camera, Take Action!” Freshmen had the opportunity to learn more about Western through a variety of events held during the week.<\/p>\n
Austin Davis, Peer Leaders Understanding Students (PLUS) Team Member and a sophomore Criminal Justice major, said that the theme for NSW was selected after vigorous brainstorming by the whole PLUS Team.<\/p>\n
“There was so much you can do with this theme,” Davis said, “the theme we chose was very inclusive, we didn’t leave anyone out.”<\/p>\n
The PLUS Team at WOU helps new students during registration, Summer Orientation Advising and Registration and NSW in order to ensure students feel more comfortable about starting college life.<\/p>\n
Peer Mentors and PLUS Team members work together in order to help first-year students get to know one another. Freshmen were required to attend several events to teach them more about Western\u2019s campus.<\/p>\n
There were multiple hour-long sessions which helped students learn how to write essays, use DegreeWorks, and become certified in Leadership, as well as other events that involved other subject areas.<\/p>\n
Some events promoted student bonding and teamwork, such as volleyball and capture the flag. There were also excursions to Portland and Lincoln City on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Julianna Deckter, a freshman accounting major, said that the events on campus “have been fun. They’ve been very lively, and inclusive, and just fun in general.”<\/p>\n
Students were also able to learn more about various clubs, job opportunities, and local businesses through several large-scale events, including the Welcome to Monmouth\/Independence Fair in the Grove on Sept. 23.<\/p>\n
The fair offered a wide range of free merchandise for students to take home including bags, posters, live goldfish, and food.<\/p>\n
Allie Highberg, a first-year elementary education major, said, “I have really liked pretty much everything that we’ve done. All of the meetings we’ve had were fun and educational.”<\/p>\n
Highberg also stated that she learned something new every time she attended events, of which there was a wide-variety.<\/p>\n
Students also had a chance to sign their names on the sidewalk between the Grove and the Old PE building in Western\u2019s colors: red, white, and black.<\/p>\n
“It seemed like everybody so far has been very friendly, and I hope it impacts them to be more social and connect more,” Davis added. He said the week went well.<\/p>\n
Some of the keynote events of the week included the Dating Doctor, David Coleman, a hypnotist, and the Variety Show, which took place on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n
On the back of the New Student Session Booklets that were handed out, students were able to fill out a “VIP Pass” in order to have a chance to win a prize. Prizes included WOU swag, a TV, an iPad Mini, a GoPro, and a gift card to the campus bookstore.<\/p>\n
The acts at the Variety Show included multiple dancers, an electric guitar performance, several comedy groups, a monologue from \u201cLaughing Wild,\u201d and a piano\/voice performance of Whitney Houston\u2019s \u201cI Will Always Love You.\u201d<\/p>\n
The PLUS Team also put together a video of the various events that occurred during New Student Week and had an additional dance performance that followed. Throughout the Variety Show, drawings were done randomly by a PLUS Team member to announce the winners of the \u201cVIP Pass\u201d prizes.<\/p>\n
Deckter said she feels like this year is “going to go easy.\u201d Adding, \u201cI definitely feel like the community is very welcoming and you’ll have support no matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n
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