Hey der, ho der, hi der. 

If you don’t get that reference, go watch That ’70s Show. Welcome to Colorado Mesa University’s (CMU) campus, you are officially a Maverick! If you are a returning student, we are incredibly happy to see you again!

This is going to be a special year for everyone on campus because we can finally see each other’s faces again! All jokes aside, we are excited to get back to some semblance of normalcy.

The pandemic is still going and the Delta Variant is in Mesa County. That doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy ourselves this year, it just means that we have to be careful while doing it.

We wanted to make this edition about the things that you can do during the pandemic while still being safe. We wanted to promote getting outdoors as much as possible because the Grand Valley has some of the most beautiful outdoor spots in the state.

The Grand Mesa, the Book Cliffs and the Colorado National Monument are staples of this town so we suggest you explore them. The views are beautiful and getting out in nature is a great way to destress.

We know that the first year of college can be stressful so we geared the content in this edition to try to help. We wanted to give you some tips that have worked for us and people we know to transition into college life.

It can be overwhelming when you begin an entirely new chapter, but everyone on campus has been there or is going through it. This means that everyone is also willing to help you get through it, so don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

Your experience in college can go a myriad of different ways, and there will be ups and downs. Cherish them all because they are going to make you who you are supposed to be. Trust the process.

To all my new Mavs, welcome to campus! Make sure you are ready for one of the best years yet!