Photo by Dwayne Black Southwest Minnesota State University students celebrated Gold Rush Days over the weekend to kick off the Fall semester. Students jumped into the mud on Saturday to enjoy some volleyball matches.

MARSHALL — Southwest Minnesota State University started classes this week after launching another school year with Gold Rush Days over the weekend.

Returning SMSU students welcomed in incoming freshmen by helping move them into dorms and hosting a variety of events.

“This year felt so different with the incoming freshmen. I feel like they were all just more excited to come to events, and that makes me really excited for this year,” admission assistant and current graduate student Megan Laughlin said. “We’ve had a hard time getting back from COVID, like with club activities and just like having a lot of attendance in different things. So, I’m really hoping that this was a good sign for this upcoming year.”

Laughlin and the rest of the admissions department helped plan Gold Rush Days. Laughlin took on the duties of interviewing orientation leaders, putting schedules together and helped to design t-shirts that were given to staff, volunteers and freshmen.

Out of the numerous events held throughout the weekend, there are a few favorites that always bring in a good crowd, including mud volleyball.

“Personally, I love Convocation as I get to speak to the incoming freshman,” current SMSU senior Sam Lund said. “I also love mud volleyball. I was always taught to practice like you play and I love to play hard. It is so fun to dive and jump into the mud and sometimes you fall in just because you can’t find the best footing.”

Laughlin said bingo had a good turnout as well, bringing in about 200 students.

“For sure, the Club Carnival that happened on Thursday was really fun. All of our clubs had kind of Carnival events [going on],” Laughlin said. “Mud volleyball is always a winner.”

Lund was an orientation leader this year, and enjoyed helping the new students settle in.

“I enjoy being an OL [orientation leader] because I get to be a big part of the incoming freshman’s first experiences at SMSU,” Lund said. “My overall favorite part of the weekend was just seeing the campus active with new and old students as they get ready to make SMSU their home for the year.”

Laughlin was an orientation leader for two years in her undergraduate studies.

“Coming into college, I was very much an introvert … I saw how it [Gold Rush Days] affected other kids and I just wanted to be that leading hand,” Laughlin said. “That hope for incoming freshmen, because I know how scary it seemed or felt coming in.”

As Laughlin enters her last year of school, she will also take on the graduate assistant role to offer support to all students throughout the year.

“I would tell them [students] all the time this last week, if you ever need me, I’m up in the office if you have any questions, if you’re scared, if you’re lonely,” Laughlin said. “I think that’s what I want to do this year. Just kind of being that person they feel comfortable coming to with anything.”

Lund will also be finishing up his degree by the end of the year, and looks forward to being as involved as he can for the final stretch.

“So far, things have been going very well. Classes are good, and I am excited to get started doing club activities and seeing everyone again,” Lund said. “I am looking forward to getting a lot of things done this year with my leadership positions in the clubs I am involved with. Ultimately, I am looking forward to graduating and moving on into the next chapter of my life.”