I also had my first encounter with the East Lansing police and discovered that I would see them multiple times during the week. Their arrival mysteriously coincided with the disappearance of my friends in different directions.

I was utterly frightened walking down Grand River for the first time, as thousands of different neon-colored flyers were shoved in my face. No, I didn’t want to sign up for anything. I wanted to know where in the world “SBS” was.

Nothing crammed, nothing shortened. I was just dropped off at MSU and that was that. Like for every freshman, it was scary and foreign, but knowing classes didn’t start for a couple days gave me some relief, because time was still available to fulfill the list of things I had to discover.

Even getting to know your way around your dorm takes more than a day.

I had time to settle in, learn my way around and perhaps most importantly, I had time to get acclimated with the people in my dorm.

With a freshman sister this year, I can’t help but feel as though freshmen were rushed and denied an experience I wouldn’t now deny to myself.

Their Welcome Week was transformed into a Welcome Weekend. U-fest, Sparticipation, the Moonlight Madness Shopping Spree and other traditional events were either removed or crammed into three days.

Why the change?

I’ve heard many comments all week from friends, co-workers and fellow students: “What happened to Welcome Week?” and “Why did they get rid of Welcome Week?”

I can’t say the change was met with open arms or an overall acceptance.

Curious, I looked up the Faculty Council draft minutes to get an idea of why the change was made.

The first reason stated in the proposal was the viewpoint that Welcome Week had become a weeklong party — a party that wasn’t for MSU students, but for other citizens of the state.

A majority of arrests made during prior Welcome Weeks were nonstudents, which isn’t a surprising fact to me. However, I can’t wrap my head around why current freshmen are losing their Welcome Week because of the inconvenience and juvenile decisions made by those who do not attend this university.

It was argued MSU’s “reputation” was at risk of being damaged if Welcome Week continued as it had.

Prior Welcome Weeks were always full of events, bands and barbecues, and every day new students gained comfort in their new homes for the year.

A Welcome Week was always exactly as it is described — a welcome. Maybe even a little welcome home party, because MSU is a home for many of us.

MSU has always been a university centralized on maintaining tradition. We support our sports teams in an exhilarating fashion. Various groups paint the rock on Farm Lane and at midnight before a final exam day the night will witness a traditional scream accompanying the moonlight, among other traditions.

School pride radiates throughout campus. Most students want to be here, and are working hard to do so, which is a respectable reputation.

Welcome Week always has been a tradition. Five days for freshman, international students and transfer students to grasp the vast community they have entered, as well as a chance for returning students to be welcomed back to their home.

I understand the desire of authorities to want students to focus on academics, but shouldn’t they also want students to have time to engage with their community and spend time with their fellow Spartans?

Hopefully next year will witness a continuance of a favorable Spartan tradition — not a Welcome Weekend, but a Welcoming Week.

Elizabeth Brumfield is a State News staff writer. Reach her at brunfie7@msu.edu.