USU’s Weeks of Welcome: back to normal?
“I am so, so beyond excited to have weeks of welcome,” said Alexis Needleman, the Utah State University Student Association Student Events vice president, “It’s almost like Christmas.”
Needleman created a Weeks of Welcome full of events including concerts, snacktivities, watch parties, and True Aggie Night.
Needleman served as the activities director for USUSA last year, so when she was elected Student Events vice president, she had a lot on her plate.
“I just started sitting upstairs with my adviser, Spencer Bitner, almost every day,” Needleman said, “We’ve been planning everything since May.”
USU’s annual Weeks of Welcome is Needleman’s favorite part of the fall semester but, after the pandemic shut down USU’s campus last year, these events are more meaningful. “Our main goal is to give students what they missed,” Needleman said. “So, we’re going extra hard with Weeks of Welcome this year to give this year’s freshman class — and last year’s freshman class — the opportunity to see what it’s like to attend events at Utah State.”
For returning students with fond memories during the Weeks of Welcome, it might be comforting to attend events. This year’s Weeks of Welcome will be similar to previous years with the College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Light on the Hill, Aggie Radio’s Big Agg show, the Day on the Quad and high stakes bingo.
However, the Weeks of Welcome events are not totally back to normal. Big indoor events will still require tickets to help regulate attendance. But this year, students can get two tickets for the dance or the concert.
Students are encouraged to wear masks at every event, but they are not mandatory.
The pandemic hasn’t been kind to USUSA student events. Even with the students and advisers planning socially distanced and online events, the Weeks of Welcome were not the same.
Like Needleman, I am anxious to see my classmates all out on the quad with free food and swag over their shoulders. Get ready for the most fun filled two weeks at USU!
For updates on the Weeks of Welcome and other student events, follow USUSA on Instagram. Bring your student ID to the Taggart Student Center’s card office to get tickets for indoor events like high stakes bingo, concerts and the dance.