The UNM’s Welcome Back events take place before school starts

On Sunday, University of New Mexico students will have the opportunity to get used to campus life again at the University’s Welcome Back Events. Before school starts on Monday, students can take part in Discover UNM, First-Year Family Day (exclusively for freshmen), Class Crawl and Movie on the Field.

The day will be opened by the Discover UNM event from 1 p.m. to 1 p.m., during which various departments and organizations will settle in the ballroom of the student union building to talk about the possibilities and resources on campus.

“One of the greatest benefits of being a Lobo is having access to resources and organizations that support your intellectual, social, personal interests and wellbeing,” University Secretary Nancy Middlebrook wrote to the Daily Lobo.

The First-Year Family Day, exclusively for first-year students, is the next event in the program. The first year convocation will be held at 4:00 p.m. at the Johnson Center, followed by a reception from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the SUB and Cornell Mall.

“The First Year Convocation is an annual event held to celebrate freshmen, honor the family and friends who prepared them for this new phase of their academic journey, and introduce them to the UNM community,” wrote Middlebrook . “The convocation ceremony is aimed specifically at new students.”

Masks are required indoors regardless of vaccination status at both Discover UNM and First-Year Family Day events under the state’s newly implemented inner mask mandate.

The Student Activity Center’s Welcome Back Days will reopen at 5pm for all students with Class Crawl, where guides will help students find the locations of their classes in a “personalized campus tour,” according to the UNM Newsroom. Students can meet their guides on the north side of the SUB to print out their schedule and start the tour.

Finally, at 8pm, a movie on the field of “Raya and the Last Dragon” is played outside on Johnson Field.

Because both Class Crawl and Movie on the Field are outdoors, no masks are required, but social distancing is encouraged, according to SAC Director Ryan Lindquist. He said SAC hopes people will stay in the groups they come with to the event.

“Social distancing is recommended so we can try to remind people as we walk around, but it’s not mandatory,” Lindquist said.

The events of the Welcome Back Days will be continued from Monday, August 23rd to Friday, August 27th with different theme days with different participants and funny delicacies at the duck pond and other places.

Megan Gleason is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ fabflutist2716