Three US Campus Welcomes, From San Diego to the Bronx
How new students land at three US campuses, from a San Diego convocation to a Bronx move-in and an Atlanta yard fest.
Move-in season, San Diego and the Bronx
San Diego State opens the year with a New Student and Family Convocation, a morning ceremony that gathers the incoming class and their families in one arena. It is the official start line, the first time the class sits together as one.
Across the country at Fordham's Rose Hill, Fall Orientation stretches across several days, folding move in into campus tours and academic success sessions. Pace the weekend, and leave time to wander the Bronx blocks nearby.
Atlanta, a movie on the lawn
Down by Mercedes-Benz Stadium, BackYARD Fest turns The Home Depot Backyard into an ode to Atlanta's HBCU culture, with food trucks, a vendor market, lawn games, and an outdoor movie once the sun drops, and the lawn fills early, and a blanket near the screen beats arriving at showtime. It reads as a citywide cookout more than a ticketed show.
Before you go
Access differs by campus, and the convocation and orientation are tied to enrollment rather than open to drop ins. BackYARD Fest runs on its own ticketing. Confirm timing and entry with each organizer before you plan around them.