As move-in comes to an end, in comes the academic year. On Wednesday, Aug. 20, Vanderbilt’s usual hustle and bustle returned as undergraduates started new class for the fall semester. Junior Bella Luckage expressed excitement for the upcoming school year. Luckage said she was particularly excited to take Applied AI for Health Sciences, taught by Korede Ajobeje.
Many students appeared to consider the weather when choosing their first day outfits, as many students were seen in running shorts and T-shirts. Others opted for a more formal-casual look with sundresses and jeans. Casual sneakers like Adidas’ Sambas were particularly popular with students. With a high of 94 degrees, Luckage expressed frustration over the weather, while junior Jorge Mendoza reported a brief commute to courses on Wednesday.
The recently begun construction by Featheringill Hall may present some challenges for students, according to Mendoza.
“The only part that took a bit to walk through was getting past the construction site between Featheringill to the Wondry,” Mendoza said in his statement to the Hustler.
Students were also seen entering the newly renovated Garland Hall, previously closed since the fall of 2023 as a part of the FutureVU initiative, with smiles and gasps being seen from students looking at the renovated interior.
Inside the Sarratt Gallery in Rand Hall, Invasion Posters sold posters, frames and even wall putty. Students were seen browsing through the stacked posters, with some purchasing them afterwards. Junior Isaac Ayala Vega said he was excited about the poster sale and that he thought the posters were much cheaper than posters sold online.
“I love the prices here because if I tried to buy these [posters] on Amazon, it’d cost me more combined with shipping than if I just got them right here,” Ayala Vega said.
Pop-up advertisements for Invasion Posters were on display around Rand, appearing to have attracted a steady stream of students browsing their selection throughout Wednesday afternoon.
Students also spent the day preparing for the upcoming semester, with many finishing unpacking and decorating their dorms. Mendoza opted to use posters from home and from his trip to France as decoration for his space. All three students said they received homework on their first day of class, but none expressed significant concern about maintaining courseload.
