People everywhere: If you’re like me and stay in East Lansing for all 12 months, you notice a huge difference in the campus population from the middle of July to late August. The student population multiplies by infinity. This leads to much slower traffic, longer restaurant lines, and crowded bars. If you don’t live in East Lansing when school is out then this might not mean as much to you because you don’t notice a difference. Trust me, you notice it when you want pancakes and eggs from Leo’s Coney Island on a Sunday morning.

Freshmen: They are everywhere. With MSU’s increased freshmen acceptance rate in the past couple of years you see thousands of young faces wandering and stumbling down Grand River Avenue in the middle of the night. Not only are they walking around trying to figure out which party they should hit next, but they are lost trying to find out which direction they should go to get to their dorm. Coming into college, the majority of freshmen have the idea that college is just parties on parties on parties, and during Welcome Week their preconceived ideas are proven correct.

Advising appointments: It’s next to impossible to get an appointment with your adviser during Welcome Week. Not only do you have concerns with which classes you do and don’t need to graduate, so do thousands of other students. Everyone’s best case scenario is to get their schedule planned and finalized before Wednesday’s classes start, but the chances of that happening are slim because of the high volume of appointments and responsibilities advisers have during the first week of classes. So more than likely if you have any concerns in regards to your classes you won’t get that figured out until a week or two after Welcome Week.

Empty pockets: As cool as it would be, you just can’t get free drinks at the bar or use a 100 percent off coupon on cases of beer for the house. If you’re going to rage and party during Welcome Week, you’re going to have to spend a little more money than you intended. And not only are you spending money on beverages, but more than likely you’re eating out the majority of the days as well. So before you even attend your classes for the second time, chances are your bank account is looking a little more depressing than when you first stepped foot back on campus.

Along the same lines, we all know how expensive books are. With ridiculously high book prices on campus there is a good chance that you’re going to be dropping a hefty amount of change on books that you probably will only open once. Welcome Week is the start of the spending spree.

Obnoxious people: Welcome Week is so popular because it’s a time to let loose before classes actually start. This is something that happens every weekend in college, but it seems like it’s a little more intense during Welcome Week. Those too drunk to function do reckless things that are unnecessary. I’ve seen my fair share of broken windows and busted bottles throughout the years, and that’s not even the most obnoxious part. It’s the ones who are screaming at the top of their lungs and blasting music when you finally decide to call it a night. This happens all year, but it’s definitely on another level during this first week.

There aren’t many events like Welcome Week on a huge campus such as MSU’s. It’s definitely a time I suggest everyone experience, but it can be equally as much of a nuisance as it is a celebration. Enjoy your Welcome Week to the fullest, but don’t think this is the best time of the year.