New students embark on old Harding traditions Each August, as the summer comes to a close and a new schoolyear begins, college freshmen start a journey that many have called the beginning ofthe rest oftheir lives. At the same time, some olderstudentswho have decided to change schools pack their bags t.o begin a newadventure at a different place. OnAugust 20, 1997, a record number of incoming freshmen and transfe rs made the trip to Searcy, Ark. , as students of Ha rd ing University for the first time. Before classes started , the registration andgetting-acquainted processes had begun throughStudentImpact. Variousactivities, such asspOnge ftghting,chocolatemarshmallow tossingand even hypnotism kept these newHarding students busy. The first two days ofStudent Impact consisted mostly of moving into the do rms and unpacking. Early Friday morning, the new students had the ir first oppo rtunity to meet with the ir ass igned energygroups. Hope Lewis, a sophomo re transfer student, sa id that Impact was memo rable fo r her. "As a transfe r, Impact made it a lot easie r because the ene rgy groups basically forced me into a group to mee t people, " she said. "When school started , I a lready knew o the r transfe rs who were entering the same situation as I was . It was encouraging because I didn 't feel like I was starting school alone. Some of my best fr iends now were in my ene rgy group during Student Impact. " Many uppe rclassmen vo lunteered to be energy group leaders and helped the new students be mo re comfortable in the ir new environment. By answering questions about registration, social clubs, the d ress code o r dating, the upperclassmen's expe ri ences were benefic ial to Student Impact participants . Upperclassmen and freshmen friends were vital to the rest of the semester. Freshman Jason Roper said, "Student Impact was awesome. It letyou get orientedwith the campusand the people on campus.I still talk to the people in myenergy group. You getan opportunity to become close with people in thesegroups because you do so much togethe r in a sho rt period of time. " "Student Impact was a positive expe rience, " freshman Seth Watson said. "I me t neat and interesting people that I wouldn 't have met had I no t attended. " From the very first ene rgy group meeting early Friday morning to the inspiring candlelight closing ceremony late Monday night, Student Impact was an expe rience that the new people on Harding's campus will remember, not only during the ir four years in Searcy, but forthe rest of tlle ir lives. @ 12 StudentLife - Brad Brooks Barry 'The Bison "Walls proves to be a man of ma ny ta lents as he sp orts a new look f 01Ireshmen at the Student Impact theme dinner. "Surge Man " was a big hit at the dinner, espeCially after he tossed soft drinks to students. Photo by Kristi Burns.
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