WKU freshman Hannah Martin raised her solar viewer to her eyes as she looked up at the sky above L.T. Smith Stadium.

Martin had gone to the football stadium with two of her friends to catch a glimpse of the total eclipse.

“It’s once in a lifetime,” Martin said as she talked about the eclipse.

Neither Martin nor her friends, freshmen Tavias Babb and Hailey Wilkinson, had ever seen an eclipse, but Martin said her mom had seen a total solar eclipse and told her that everything goes dark and some night animals come out.

All three freshman said they thought it was cool to be starting their first day of college on the day of the solar eclipse. Babb said he’s not a superstitious person, but he hoped things would go well, especially since the eclipse occurred on their first day at WKU.

“As long as [the eclipse] goes as it’s supposed to go, it’ll be alright,” Babb said referring to the start of college.

Wilkinson, however, had other concerns.

“As long as I don’t lose my eye sight,” she said with a laugh.

Reporter Emma Collins can be reached at 270-745-6011 or [email protected].