The fall semester at Sacred Heart University has officially begun, and to help the incoming first-year class adapt to the significant changes in college life, SHU is hosting its annual series, The First 50 Days.
The series opens during welcome weekend and continues through the first 50 days of the semester. These events aim to make the incoming first-year class feel at home by acknowledging the challenges some students may face during the transition into college life.
“There’s a lot of growing up that has to happen quickly in those first few weeks. So you’re noticing that students are figuring out what that autonomy looks like, and then how to go out and make connections with new people,” said Victoria Vacca, Associate Director of First Year Programs.
Many students enter their first semester feeling isolated, unsure if anyone else shares the same anxieties about leaving home and starting fresh. The first event, The Night Before, aims to directly address this misconception by bringing new students together.
“You can go to these events on your own and know that the people there are going through the exact same thing that you are,” said Vacca. “We had over 700 students attend the night before, which was absolutely amazing. You were seeing people who walked in alone and walked out with someone.”
While the goals of The First 50 Days have remained unchanged since its introduction in 2019, the series has continued to expand as more groups on campus become involved. “This year, we had 425 programs that were submitted to be a part of the first 50 days,” said Vacca.
From wellness workshops to more socially oriented events where students can meet the various clubs and Greek life at SHU, the series aims to meet every student’s interests. “I remember the club fair being a great way to see what Sacred Heart offers. From esports to pre-dental clubs, it really shows the wide variety of opportunities SHU has to offer,” said sophomore Oliver Weismann.
Students will be introduced to SHU’s most popular traditions, such as Bingo and Stuff-a-Bear. These events tend to be the most popular in the whole series. “I think the buy-in from the upperclassmen going to these events, and first-year students walking in and seeing that all the seats are filled, kind of continues that tradition moving forward,” said Vacca.
Moving forward, the series will only continue to grow as more groups on campus continue to get involved. “The buy-in from the campus community in what started in the Student Life Office really has grown outside of us, and I would love to see that continue,” said Vacca.
