Food, fun and Wal-Mart runs

The transition period that comes with being a freshman at a Big Ten school can be an overwhelming time for many new students, but IU groups are doing their part to make this time as easy as possible by bringing the time-honored tradition of Welcome Week to campus once again.\nAn annual IU occurrence, Welcome Week gives freshmen an opportunity to experience what the University has to offer -- as well as a chance to meet new people -- through events hosted by various campus and local groups.\n"Attending Welcome Week events is the fastest way to become knowledgeable about the campus and is a great opportunity to get to know people, places and resources," said Melanie Payne, associate director of the IU Office of Orientation Programs and director of Welcome Week. \nWelcome Week kicks off today with the annual Freshman Induction Ceremony at 3 p.m. and then again at 5 p.m. in the IU Auditorium. The ceremony is an IU tradition that gives an official welcome to the newest additions to the IU family. Payne said the ceremony is the most attended event of the week.\nAnother popular attraction that provides freshmen the chance to experience IU's diversity is the seventh annual CultureFest, Thursday from 4:30 to 8 p.m. According to the IU Office of Orientation Programs Web site, CultureFest has been voted one of IU's top three annual events. The festival offers live music, varied food selections from different cultures, salsa lessons, henna tattoos and many other activities. Students who attend the indoor portion will receive free food vouchers that they can use at any of the numerous outdoor booths. CultureFest shows the cross-section of cultures at IU and has been a great event for the Welcome Weeks of years past, Payne said.\n"It was an instant success the first year we did it, and it truly is a celebration of the wide variety of cultures at IU," she said.\nAnother popular event is the Taste of the Union, where students will be offered free food and can attend events like wall-climbing and bowling Friday evening in the Indiana Memorial Union. In addition freshmen can be shuttled to local discount stores late at night for special student-only discounts as part of Midnight Madness Friday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.\nA new addition to the Welcome Week schedule is New Student Service Day, which begins Saturday morning, when more than 500 new students who have already signed up will perform community service around the area in cooperation with several local Bloomington agencies. The morning will conclude with a lunch and celebration. Anyone still interested in getting involved in the New Student Service Day can contact the IU Office of Orientation Programs.\nThis year's theme, "Proud Traditions: Welcome Week 2006," is simple and designed to expose new students to the great traditions at IU.\n"We keep it as a general open theme because a lot of what Welcome Week does is connect students to the many rich traditions of IU," said Payne. \nSeveral University and local organizations will help make Welcome Week and its events a success, including the Union Board, IU student government, the Office of University Ceremonies, the IU Auditorium, Residential Programs and Services, the City of Bloomington and countless student volunteers, all of whom are funneled through the IU Office of Orientation Programs, which is coordinating the events.\n"Welcome Week is truly a community effort, and it's important that it is that way because we want students to experience all of what makes up Indiana University," Payne said.\nStudents should not miss out on the opportunities of Welcome Week, Payne said.\n"It doesn't matter what their motivation is for going," she said. "They should go because if they do, they will get to know IU and will get the chance to see what IU has to offer.