Anyone who’s gone to college knows moving onto campus as a freshman is something you’ll never forget. There are so many emotions involved: happiness, anxiety, doubt — even outright fear.
Just last year, this was me. I didn’t know what to do or even think once my family left after helping me move in; I was ready to be independent, but I couldn’t fathom that I had made it so far.
Looking back on that day now, I can only think of this year’s incoming freshmen class and how nervous they must be.
Not only do they have to juggle the various social and academic concerns typical of college freshmen, but they’re expected to do so during a pandemic. A pandemic that, for all intents and purposes, has changed everything about the way we interact in our society. 
The circumstances the class of ’24 is facing will make their first year of college unlike any other. Things as natural to us as walking to class, meeting friends at the Student Union for lunch and attending football games in Death Valley will be entirely different for them. Clubs and organizations on campus will follow stricter safety protocols. Some aspects of campus life will be different than expected or erased entirely. 
All of this can be upsetting to think about for freshmen and non-freshmen alike. Heck — even as a sophomore it was hard for me to leave home and move back to Baton Rouge.
But it will get better. The adversity this freshman class will face in their first semester of college will make them stronger; they’ll bond through shared hopes and struggles. 
As Tigers, we can adapt. We can find new ways to welcome the incoming freshman class. They’re a part of our family now, and it’s our job to make them feel like they’re at home. Student organizations have the opportunity to get creative with their outreach.
It’s important members of the community remember that just because we can’t meet this freshman class on campus like we normally would, they’re still here, and they’re still Tigers. 
To the class of 2024: know that you will always be welcome here at your new home. We’re so happy to have you. You’ll face some extra challenges this year in getting adjusted — there’s no denying that — but we’re all in this together. The LSU family will do all we can to make this a good semester for everyone. At the very least, it’ll be a memorable one.
You’ve got this. We’re right here with you.  
Elizabeth Crochet is a 19-year-old political communication sophomore from New Orleans, Louisiana.