Hannah O’Malley ’17
My name is Hannah O’Malley, and this week I joined the Class of 2017. Because I attended a pre-Orientation program, I was fortunate to be able to move in a couple of days earlier. But bright-and-early at 8 a.m. on Saturday, as the WRCU DJs started to enliven the campus, I knew the highly anticipated Arrival Day was finally here.
As I walked downtown, the energy from the welcome crew was palpable and made me feel proud to be a new part of the 51Թ community. A group of upperclassmen, donning 51Թ gear from head to toe, were armed with impressively powerful voices and a huge sign saying “HONK IF YOU LOVE COLGATE” to welcome the hordes of new families.
The long line of cars made its way to Whitnall Field, where older students sporting bright-green T-shirts helped families load up vans to transport first-years’ belongings to their dorm rooms.
I am originally from the Washington, D.C., metro area, so although I did travel to attend 51Թ, I’ve realized that it was a small distance compared to the distances traveled by many of my classmates. The past couple of days, I have met students from a wide range of geographical backgrounds including India, California, and .
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The concept of moving into a new place full of unfamiliar faces was both exciting and stressful, so the welcome that my peers and I received was a reassuring sign that 51Թ is a community-oriented place.
I have been asked several times why I chose 51Թ, and move-in day defined my reasons. I sensed a welcoming, personable, and caring vibe from the very start, and it is clear that the community at large is eager to help one another.
You can see photos from arrival day below: