By Paulina Rochelle / USF ZNews
USF – The university’s New Student Connections committee hosted a tie-dye event at the MSC Amphitheatre during the school’s Week of Welcome to celebrate the new semester.
The committee put on the Tie-Dye and Connect with Peer Advisor Leaders (PALs) event to help students unwind and make connections at the start of the term. This allowed students to talk to the PALs and meet other bulls in a fun, friendly environment. The event featured music, bracelet-making, tie-dye stations and pizza for anyone who participated. With 146 people registered for the three-hour-long event, nearly every table was filled.
For more information about the tie-dye PAL hangout, click on the post below:
The New Student Connections committee has PALs to help guide new students. They act as “a resource and coach for students who want to make the most of their college experience.” They typically help run events as a way to be accessible to students who may have questions about the school or are trying to meet new people.
The PALs had set up three tables that acted as the tie-dye stations on the grass while bracelet-making and other activities took place within the amphitheater. The tables for tie-dyeing were always busy with students creating personalized t-shirts.
USF has a Week of Welcome at the start of each Summer, Fall and Spring semester with different series of events each time. Having these activities each term helps students “make lasting connections and have a successful start to [their] semester. “
To learn more about other Week of Welcome events, visit the link below:
Breann Hildebrandt, the New Student Connections program coordinator, said that she didn’t participate in events like this one during her time at school. “I never left my residence hall,” says Hildebrandt. “I didn’t really get to experience any of this during my undergraduate, so it’s a warm feeling to come and offer that to first years.”
When talking about another event that took place over the summer, Hildebrandt said, “Seeing all of those students walk in alone but then walk out of it having made friends and connections was amazing.”
Listen to the interview with Breann Hildebrandt to learn more about the New Student Connections organization:
Two USF students, Ava Rosenthal and Kiley Barton, both business advertising majors, were walking by the MSC when they spotted the event and decided to attend. Barton said it was a fun surprise to see the event going on as the two were unaware that it was happening. Rosenthal said it was nice to have “something to do”.
Both students said that they found going to the event beneficial and thought it was a fun way to “destress and debrief” after the first week of school.
Barton said more students should attend events like this because “you can get more out of things than you expect.”