Just days before the spring semester began, students and staff came together for Welcome Day on Tuesday.

Welcome Day is an event for new students to come and engage in conversation, locate classes and explore student service programs before the semester begins.

“There is an increase level of comfort just being on campus and meeting some people and becoming familiar with faces in the crowd,” said English Professor David Weinshilboum.

Faculty and students spoke as part of a panel and gave insight to new students in the Forum located in room L-111 in the library.

Student Success and Support Programs Counselor Chris Torres, opened the session.

“Everyone that you’ll be working with: students, staff, faculty, administration, we’re invested in your success as a student here,” Torres said. “There are so many services for you to take advantage of.”

The panel shared information on how to not fall behind in class, support services and what to expect in classes. Students on the panel shared their experiences on campus.

Stephen Goerzen, a 25-year-old business management major, asked a question during the program to the faculty on the panel about the difference between teaching college and high school students.

“In high school, homework took a lot of the percentage of your grade,” said Math Professor Michael Yarbrough in response to Goerzen. “In college the homework percentage towards your grade is quite small.”

Anthropology Professor and Academic Senate President Shannon Mills was one of the coordinators of the event.

“I’ve been doing this for about three years now and I continue to do this panel because I think it is very helpful for students to know what to expect when they get here and to get accustomed to being able to ask questions to instructors,” Mills said.

Sang Nguyen, a 19-year-old communications media major, attended the panel.

“I’ve been out of school for a year and a half now and I made a lot of mistakes back in high school but now listening to the interviews it gives me an idea of I need to focus on,” Nguyen said.

Several students were nervous for the first day of class as they did not know what to expect.

“I was so confused and lost and wasn’t sure about anything coming in,” Goerzen said. “I was really nervous and scared and now I’m kind of more relaxed after being able to ask those questions and hearing what they have to say.”