SAN ANGELO, Texas — Despite the West Texas heat, autumn is arriving in and with it comes the start of a new school season.
For many students at Angelo State University, this means moving into dorms, saying goodbye to family and starting a new portion of their lives as Rams.
Rambunctious Week began Aug. 23 at ASU with a hamburger cookout followed by check-in and a series of welcome events to help students feel at home.
ASU alumnus, tour guide, student body president and Office of Student Transitions employee Kameron Wiese said this time of year "is kind of like our back to school bash kind of week. We have a ton of fun events for freshmen and transfer students and for recurring students at Angelo State..."
The list of events includes a Farewell BBQ Dinner and Night at the Stadium Aug. 23, Downtown Stroll and Night at the Museum Aug. 24, Night at the UC Aug. 25 and Community Fair Aug. 26 plus more.
For Wiese, much of his college experience happened at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, so he is excited to help create a more hands-on campus life for the newest generation.
"So I think that having these events for freshmen now helps them get rid of those, like, college isn't as frightening, it kind of gets rid of those expectations that you are pretty much able to make your college experience how you want it," he said. "And so having these events for their freshmen year, for their welcome for their freshmen year, really shows that ASU really cares about its students and they really want them to be apart of the Ram Fam if that makes sense."
While Wiese has been welcoming new students, members of the Ram Band drumline have been preparing not only for school but for football season, too.
"We're out here just practicing for a new marching band year, getting ready for our shows, just getting all of our music memorized, getting to march on the field," freshman musician Gregory Heitzenrater said.
The group have been rehearsing cadences as well as songs such as Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls" and Demi Lovato's "Confident" and others.
After nearly a month of preparation, the band is continuously trying to improve ahead of ASU's first football game of the season Aug. 31 against West Alabama.
Senior Anthony Navarro said, "We wanna be ready whenever that first football game comes and we have a performance at the end of this week for incoming freshman. We just wanna give our best and help everyone get pumped for the school year."
This annual tradition has helped make the college transition a bit smoother for new and experienced students alike.
