The first week of classes is undeniably stressful for even the most seasoned college student, and the excitement of starting a new year may be lost in the whirlwind of syllabi and textbooks. Before trading relaxing summer days for long nights at the library, a slew of activities is available to ease Colgate students’ transitions back to school.

Members of organizations like Student Government Association (SGA), Colgate Activities Board (CAB) and Student Committee On Providing Entertainment (SCOPE) carefully plan the wide variety of events that take place during Welcome Back Week (WBW).

“The first-years get orientation, but without WBW there would be nothing to reintroduce the rest of the student body to campus life,” SGA President Dave Kusnetz said. “The purpose of WBW is to introduce and reintroduce students to life at Colgate and get them excited about the coming year.”

Numerous Colgate student organizations have collaborated to ensure that this year’s WBW will be far more than just another barbecue and ice cream social. WBW’s theme will be “Camp Colgate,” and student organizers have packed the schedule with new activities, including a game of Laser Tag on Whitnall Field that will take place Thursday, Sept. 4 after classes. CAB will show The Chronicles of Narnia on the Quad at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. Furthermore, everyone can look forward to picking up Dunkin’ Donuts Munchkins and iced coffee, available between classes on the Academic Quad Monday, Sept. 8.

WBW’s most anticipated event is the appearance of musical guest Girl Talk on the Quad Friday, Sept. 5. After a grueling week of classes, students will be able to blow off a little steam dancing to DJ Greg Gillis’ creative “mash-ups.”

“I definitely am looking forward to the Girl Talk concert,” Kusnetz said. “We’re expecting over 1,000 people.”

And with the appearance of Wiz Khalifa at Beta Theta Pi’s annual Beta Beach party, WBW is shaping up to be a music festival of sorts.

A week of such high-profile events and large-scale activities does not come together without a great deal of planning.

“CAB begins planning for WBW in the late summer and finalizes the schedule during CAB training in mid-August,” said CAB executive junior Sam Levine. “We spend a considerable amount of effort and money to make sure we have fun, new activities that all students will enjoy.”

Kusnetz echoed Levine’s sentiments when he discussed the ways in which students benefit from this week.

“[Students] get a chance to broaden their horizons by meeting new people at a diverse set of events,”?Kusnetz said. “When you are dancing on the Academic Quad under the stars to awesome music with nearly 1,000 people, it is hard not to meet someone new and feel happy to be at Colgate.”