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Freshmen Join Campus Life

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Posted on August 19, 2020

Thomas Becnel

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For a semi-virtual celebration of the annual Honors College retreat, nearly 100 freshmen introduced themselves at the University of South Alabama through a mix of Zoom sessions and masked get-togethers.

They started online, with everything from serious programs to light-hearted games. On campus, they gathered in person at Moulton Bell Tower and Alumni Plaza and shared socially distanced meals outside Seamen鈥檚 Bethel, the historic building that is home to the college.

For many incoming honors students, last week鈥檚 retreat served as a head start for getting settled, making friends and starting a college career.

鈥淚鈥檓 an introvert at heart, so I wanted to use this opportunity to meet people,鈥� said Savannah Dinkel, a freshman from Mobile. 鈥淚 wanted to be part of a community.鈥�

She and her roommate, Lauren Gaspard of Pensacola, bonded at an ice cream shop just off campus. A brownie milkshake and cookie dough sandwich sealed the deal.

鈥淲e were like, OK,鈥� Gaspard said, laughing. 鈥淲e like each other.鈥�

The Honors College freshmen join new and returning students this week as classes begin. Week of Welcome and Beyond events include first day of school photos, online scavenger hunts, Greek recruitment, RecFest 2020 and Water Balloons of Welcome, where members of the Improv新加坡六合彩开奖资料 troupe will to make students laugh. If they don鈥檛, students get to throw water balloons at cast members.

Highlights of the 2020 fall semester will include the first-ever home football game on the South campus. Hancock Whitney Stadium will open at 6 p.m. Sept. 12 with the Jaguars hosting Tulane University.

For students at the Honors College, the annual retreat means a great deal. The college takes pride in its spirit and camaraderie. Students learn about everything from advanced courses to undergraduate research.

Jose Pardo Granados, another freshman from Mobile, is following an older brother through the Honors College.

鈥淗e said it was a close-knit community,鈥� said Pardo Granados. 鈥淎nd getting into the whole research process interests me.鈥�

Dr. Kathy Cooke, dean of the Honors College, asked freshmen to think about goals for their educational journey, emphasizing the word 鈥渕atter,鈥� which they had written about in their application essays. She also told them to have fun. The challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and a virtual setting brought out the best in many students.

鈥淢y experience with this retreat tells me that we really can create opportunities under adverse conditions,鈥� she said. 鈥淔or instance, students had a virtual scavenger hunt on Thursday afternoon 鈥� they had to build forts, and theme songs, and podcasts, all virtually.  When they shared with the group, I was stunned, though I shouldn't have been, by their creativity and insight. They had me laughing so hard I cried.鈥�

At some point, Cooke hopes to continue the Honors College Retreat in an outdoor setting.

"We had to defer our in-person retreat this year, and temporarily substitute our usual activities at Camp Grace and on campus with virtual options,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e look forward to getting on a real ropes course, challenging ourselves together 30 feet above the ground."

Traditionally, the retreat is a bonding experience. Years later, students remember the classmates they met while holding on to a rope.

鈥淚 met the majority of my friend group at my first retreat,鈥� said Malena Butler, president of the Honors College Association. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a chance to meet people before classes even start.鈥�

This year, she worked long hours to help create and organize virtual events for the first time. 鈥淚 was stressed,鈥� Butler said, 鈥渨orrying about how everything would work.鈥�

Brianna Mitchell and Emily Quarry, also students in the Honors College Association, helped run group sessions with about 10 freshmen. The Zoom meetings were online, but the two of them were perched in front of laptops in the doorways of their rooms in the Gamma 6 residence hall.

Sometimes they looked up and laughed at each other. Sometimes they shouted across the balcony. Sometimes they didn鈥檛.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 hear you,鈥� Quarry said at one point. 鈥淭ext me.鈥�

Soon they were leading freshmen through games of Two Truths and a Lie, where students got to talk about themselves and then invent fake stories. The moderators kept things moving. They were spirited hosts.

鈥淟et鈥檚 get it, Queen,鈥� Quarry said to Mitchell.

鈥淭his is so exciting,鈥� Mitchell told the newcomers. 鈥淗i, y鈥檃ll.鈥�

Honors College freshmen had time to explore campus. Group texts flew back and forth. One group gathered at Bell Tower for an informal meet-and-greet.

Grace Coppinger, from Union, Mo., a small town outside of St. Louis, wore what looked like a brand new 鈥淪outh Alabama鈥� T-shirt. She joked about everyone sweating in the sun.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very hard with all the masks and social distancing,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I really want to meet people.鈥�

Darius Haynes of Mobile wore all black, which is his style, even on the hottest of August days. He described himself as a 鈥渃ar guy鈥� who admires the 鈥�69 Dodge Challenger R/T. During one group exercise, he had to explain 鈥測ee yee,鈥� a country expression of pure excitement or happiness.

The virtual sessions gave him a chance to network and learn more about his classmates.

鈥淚t worked; I liked it,鈥� Haynes said. 鈥淲hen I first heard about the Honors College, I liked the part about intellectual curiosity. And academics. You know, successful people have successful friends.鈥�

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