The University of Alabama’s annual Week of Welcome will take place this year from Friday, Aug. 13, through Friday, Aug. 20. WOW is a one-week event that provides freshman students the opportunity to connect with new people, engage in college life and explore the Capstone.

“[Planning Week of Welcome] is a year-long process,” said Kelli Knox-Hall, the chair of the planning committee for this year’s events. “We essentially start planning as soon as the previous year’s events are finished.”

Knox-Hall said the committee conducts a survey and, based on the feedback from the students of that survey, they try to tweak any old events or add any new events to accommodate the students’ needs.

This year’s WOW will kick off on Friday, Aug. 13, with a family dinner at Lakeside and Burke Dinning Halls. The dinner will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Students and family members are encouraged to attend. Students can use their meal plan and guest meals for their family members. Cash and debit or credit cards are also accepted.

Friday night’s festivities will continue with a movie showing on the Quad. The members of Phi Eta Sigma will sponsor the showing of “The Blind Side” and will provide free pizza and Pepsi products to students. The movie will begin at 10 p.m. and the event should conclude around midnight.

The week will continue with a parent send-off breakfast, a pictorial history of the University, Freshman Volunteer Day, a move-in cook-out for honors students and many more special events.

On Sunday, Aug. 15, the University will host Plaza Live. Plaza Live will be held on the Crimson Promenade from 7 p.m. to midnight. According to the Week of Welcome website, the event will showcase the wide variety of services and activities the University and the city of Tuscaloosa have to offer. Student organizations, campus departments and local businesses will interact with students amidst local entertainment including The Hypsys, The Vegabonds, The Crosseyed Cats, Matt & Hope and American Moss.

On Monday and Tuesday, WOW will host events and socials including the Gorgas Library Open House, the Transfer Student Social, BAMA Blast, Student Night at Target, the Out-of-State/International Student Social and many other events.

The Week of Welcome will culminate on Friday, Aug. 20, with the Meet the Deans BBQ. The event will last from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will be held at the outside soccer stadium. At this event, students will receive free Full Moon BBQ and will be given the opportunity to mingle with the deans of their respective colleges. Students are then invited to stay for the 7 p.m. kick off of the Alabama vs. Samford soccer game.

“Week of Welcome is a fun and exciting time for students to meet new people and figure out where they belong on campus,” said Lauren Crain, a sophomore majoring in civil engineering who attended WOW last year. “I really enjoyed my experience with WOW. It made me feel more at home on UA’s campus.”