Before they begin classes, new students at the University of Colorado at Boulder will participate in a variety of fun and information-packed activities starting Aug. 19.
Fall semester classes start Aug. 25, and besides the usual array of orientation sessions to cover the details of class registration, policies and student services at each college, students will have chances to socialize and get acquainted with Boulder during the week before school begins.
Casino night and ice-skating at the Recreation Center, biking and hiking tours around Boulder, the Chancellor's convocation and dinner, movies, a carnival and a concert are among the many highlights. Others include the following:
* New freshmen and transfer students will move in to residence halls starting at 8 a.m. on Aug. 18 and Aug. 19 and 10 am. on Aug. 21. On Aug. 18-19, residence halls will organize evening social activities including night hikes, Frisbee golf and volleyball games.
* The Recreation Center and Residence Hall Association will host "Ice and Dice" Aug. 21 from 8:30 p.m. to midnight at the Rec Center. Students can ice skate, use the rock climbing gym and win prizes playing casino games.
* Mechanical bull-riding and inflatable games will be part of the Residence Hall Association new student welcome carnival on Aug. 22 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Farrand Field. Student services, clubs and organizations will be on hand with information.
* CU-Boulder Chancellor Richard Bynny and the Nike Corp.'s Kevin Carroll will welcome all new students Aug. 22 at an informal dinner on the Norlin Quadrangle lawn, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
* Comedy, live music and free pool, bowling, food and prizes are planned at the UMC Welcome Fest, Aug. 22 from 5 p.m. to midnight.
* "American Pie" and "American Pie 2" will be shown back-to-back at the Friday night movie double feature Aug. 22 at Farrand Field, 9 p.m.
* Saturday night Aug. 23 Farrand Field is the site of the new student welcome concert at 8 p.m. presented by the CU Program Council, to be followed by a late-night showing of the movie "Old School."
* Alcohol 101 Plus, a new interactive educational game, will highlight the effects of alcohol on health, relationships, school performance and decisions about sex. It will be presented by the A Matter of Degree program, Aug. 21-22 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Farrand Field.
* Students will tour the campus and community bike path network Aug. 21 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., meeting at the Environmental Center, UMC 355. A hike to the third Flatiron including a free lunch will be Aug. 23 from 9:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., meeting at Koenig Alumni Center.
* Tours of the campus recycling facility, where students process five tons of material each day, will run Aug. 21 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
* The department of theater and dance will present the comedy "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All For You," Aug. 20-22 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the University Theatre and Loft Theater.
* Representatives from Wardenburg Student Health Center will be on the center's north lawn Aug. 20-21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. offering giveaway items, free health information and assistance with student health insurance plan selection.
* Army ROTC "Zero Week" activities, focusing on team-building and having fun, will take place Aug. 21-23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside Folsom Field, gate three, second floor. Anyone interested in learning more about ROTC is welcome.
* Open House events and tours are planned at Career Services (Aug. 21-22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.), the University of Colorado Student Union (Aug. 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), the Environmental Center (Aug. 21, noon to 2 p.m.), and the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Resource Center (Aug. 25, 4 to 6 p.m.).
For more information and welcome week schedule updates, visit .