Reclaiming the Hill: Students returning to normalcy on campus
Western Kentucky University senior Meral Abdelgawald toss a football into a net during Topper Fest on Friday evening.
August 23, 2021
WKU freshmen arrived on campus this school year wearing face masks, but carrying more hope for normalcy than any class since the pandemic began. MASTER Plan, a week-long event of freshman activities, began with the return of the traditional class year photo and an introduction to a relatively normal campus life. The week closed out with Topper Fest, a new back-to-school event featuring food trucks and fireworks. Events outside freshman introductions closely mirrored their pre-pandemic forms as well. The Big Red Marching Band kicked off their season and prepared to return to the field for live performances,
a welcomed change from being relegated to the stands like last year. Sororities also returned to in-person rush week events and the traditional running home to sorority row. Full auditoriums and lecture halls will greet students as they begin their classes on Monday, once again bringing everyone face-to-face with their peers.
![Kallie Wood, a senior social work major, presents her dish as a part of the Afrolatinidad event on Monday, April 8, 2024. My dish has a little bit of Spanish influence [and] a little bit of African influence,” Wood said.](https://wkuherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/marlowe_afrolatinadad_02-600x400.jpg)
