First day: UW-Green Bay kicks off academic year

UW-Green Bay students, faculty and staff ushered in a new academic year Sept. 6, marking the first day of classes with anticipation, excitement, and just a few jitters along the way. From freshmen still learning to navigate campus to seniors ready for their final year, the UW-Green Bay community was eager for a fresh start.

“I haven’t been in Green Bay all summer, so I would say getting back to the social part of it” is the best thing about the new year, said UW-Green Bay senior Kelsey Louison. “I’m excited for my classes, too, because they really pertain to what I want to be doing in life. So it’s a little combination of everything.”

For new freshmen like Brittany Hannon, questions about college life and what classes would bring were accompanied by enthusiasm for a brand-new experience. Hannon, a marketing and Spanish major, said she was ready to start the year — and confident she’d come to the right place.

“This was the first college I toured,” Hannon said, “and on the tour I just absolutely fell in love with campus — the grounds and everything about it. I love it.”

For returning students, certain elements of the first day back have become routine. Introductions are made, syllabi handed out and expectations detailed. Still, students and faculty relish the opportunity to start fresh, in terms of both the people they meet and the learning they do.

“The first day of school, I think, is a really exciting day, and for me it rivals other holidays,” said Timothy Dale, assistant professor in Democracy and Justice Studies. “I’m not sure if students are as excited as I am.”

From classes to extracurricular activities and campus life, students, faculty and staff said they’re eager to embrace a new year. There’s just something about the UW-Green Bay community, they say, that makes it feel like home.

“I’ve met so many people here,” said UW-Green Bay sophomore Jordan Weuve. “When you’re walking to any class, you know, everyone meets in the Cofrin Library and you just see so many people you know. So I enjoy it.”