Back on the mountain: Students prepare for Welcome Weekend before fall semester
Students gather on their deck on Main Street on Tuesday Aug. 26.
Welcome Weekend is a time of celebration.
For some students, it's the first time they will step foot on Central Michigan University's campus. For others, it’s a time of reunion, and starts a year-long countdown to graduation. Some see Welcome Weekend as their last chance to go all out.
Leading up to the weekend, Nathan Winter said his friends moved in early and are looking forward to reconnecting with people they didn’t see all summer.
“I think Welcome Weekend is unique at CMU,” the South Lyon senior said. “CMU has its own personality. Many other welcome weeks are a little more divided. Here at CMU it seems that everyone is integrated during the time.”
Whether it’s reuniting with friends missed during the summer, stopping on Main Street for a "Jesus Dog" or figuring out what it means to be a freshman here, Welcome Weekend serves as the beginning to another year at CMU.
It’s not just drinking
“Let’s face it, the legend of ‘Welcome Weekend’ almost precedes itself,” said Dani Hiar, assistant director of Marketing and Leadership Safari.
Hiar said the “big stuff” doesn’t take place at the same time as Leadership Safari. The Tuesday night before classes, however, students taking part in Leadership Safari were walking back to their dorms just as a huge crowd started to gather outside O’Kelly’s Sports Bar and Grill for Pint Night.
“Those conversations about drinking do happen during Safari,” Hiar said. “I think it provides us with the opportunity to educate that there is much more to life on Welcome Weekend than just getting completely wasted.”
“Larzy Up All Night” is a program hosted by the Larzelere Hall, which gives students other ways to spend Welcome Weekend than partying.
“We want to get everybody involved in the hall,” said Westland sophomore David McClain. “There are people who go out on Main Street during Welcome Weekend, but they could also hang out in the hall and get to know people here too.”
“Larzy Up All Night” provides students with activities like board games and snacks and refreshments, McClain said. Larzelere is located near Main Street on North campus, next to where Welcome Weekend celebrations are known to get out of control.
“There’s lots of options (during Welcome Weekend),” Hiar said. “I think what we do as a disservice as students is perpetuate the theory that everybody goes out and gets wasted. That’s not the case.”
Some freshmen have never been around a party atmosphere before and don’t know what to expect out of the weekend.
“I haven’t really thought about (partying) yet,” said Romeo freshman Jessica Rodgers as she waited in line to register for Leadership Safari. “I didn’t really drink back in high school, so I don’t really have any plans yet.”
Making plans and taking names
With Michigan State University, Western Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University beginning classes after CMU, students from those schools may venture to Mount Pleasant to party. Outsiders tend to be a problem for police, who last year apprehended two different groups whose sole purpose for attending was to raid unassuming students' homes.
“You can always have a good time and still be safe, it’s just up to the people who are running the party,” said St. Joseph freshman Spence Sunday, who is a member of Phi Kappa Tau.
Phi Kappa Tau tries to keep people off their front porch to deter strangers from coming into their parties, Sunday said. Usually they use a guest list so only people they know come into their house.
“Keeping the women safe is one of our number one priorities, especially on a weekend where everyone is going to be drunk,” Sunday said. “You don’t want intoxicated people yelling at the girls here who are trying to get home safely.”
Preparation for a party also includes cleaning the house and hiding any valuables.
“There are a lot of things we hide because there are people who will come to a house and take your stuff if you’re not cautious," Sunday said.
Dealing with the police
Last year during Welcome Weekend, Main Street was packed elbow-to-elbow. This year, police are looking to control that by doubling their presence north of campus.
Mount Pleasant Police Officer Jeff Browne said last year some students got a little out of hand, even though the total number of citations issued was less than in 2013.
"We had people shimmying up light poles," he said. "I had bottles and rocks thrown at my head. I saw a man get struck by a bottle— I don't know if it was meant for me or not."
Though 237 calls were made to the police during Welcome Weekend last year, the number of citations and arrests was down by 28 percent from 2013.
It is important to know how to conduct oneself when dealing with police at parties, Sunday said.
“If the cops were to walk up, we know how to handle the situation correctly. That’s something important a lot of people need to learn, especially people who aren’t used to living on Main street,” Sunday said.
He said they also have “sobers” at their parties; people who don’t drink in order to keep everything under control. The role of a “sober” could include talking to police, cutting someone off if they’ve had to much, making sure fights don’t break out and making sure people get home OK.
“(Dealing with police) is mainly just about not being stupid,” said Canton senior Joseph Mcbride.
Mcbride said he witnessed someone walking down Main Street with an open beer who immediately got cuffed and received a minor in possession citation.
“(Partying responsibly) is mainly about making sure you know where you’re at, not being dumb. Underage drinking should also be limited,” Mcbride said.
He said he has never personally experienced anything too crazy during a Welcome Weekend, but he has seen others get out of hand in celebration of the last weekend before classes.
“I feel like what we’re doing right now is fine. We’re in our parking lot with just have a few friends and its not anything out of control,” Mcbride said. “It’s another thing when the apartment complex is flooded. You can’t even drive through the lot or park your car — that’s when it gets out of control.”
Jesus Dogs
Giving away free hot dogs on the corner of Bellows and Main Street is how two members of His House Fellowship Church will spend their Welcome Weekend.
Cass City Seniors Megan Parrish and Jordan Hendrian organize the distribution of “Jesus Dogs,” a Welcome Weekend tradition. The two said they are expecting a huge crowd on Saturday when students head north of campus.
“This just gets packed,” Parrish said. “There’ll be like 600 people sometimes.”
If they buy more hot dogs than usual and if the weather is nice, Parrish said they could easily exceed the 1,000 hot dogs given away on a typical Saturday night. His House starts handing out Jesus Dogs at 10 p.m. on 211 W. Broomfield Rd.
“It gets really nuts. You figure for the whole night, that’s like four hours of giving away hot dogs,” Hendrian said.
Even though they will not be participating in the party atmosphere that Welcome Weekend is famous for, they will still be involved in reconnecting with people before classes and welcoming the freshmen and new members to the CMU community.
Grosse Ile junior Emmalee Compeau is no stranger to visiting Jesus Dogs, and plans to make it part of her Welcome Weekend this year as well.
“This is my first time drinking all week,” Compeau said on Aug. 25. “Usually I’d rather wait until everybody gets here.”
Based on her past experiences with Welcome Weekend, Compeau said she has learned to welcome the new freshmen, meet as many people as possible and always go to Jesus Dogs.
