Mikayla Hixson
September 21, 2026
After a long summer away from campus, students returned to Thiel on August 24 to begin another year of classes and college life. The first day brought a mix of excitement, nerves and the challenge of getting back into a familiar routine.
For sophomore Camdyn Dickerson, a member of Alpha Xi Delta, returning to campus meant continuing her education and beginning another year of college. “I was excited and ready to continue pursuing my education,” Dickerson said. She described her first day as “overwhelming, engaging, and exhilarating.” After being away from campus for the summer, one of her biggest challenges was getting reacquainted with her surroundings. “Trying to navigate the campus again because I forgot where a lot of stuff was,” she said. Having her sorority sisters as roommates helped make the transition back to campus easier. Dickerson said walking to class with her sisters helped her feel more excited about starting the semester.
Other returning students also brought their own experiences and goals into the new semester. Ticey Carr, also a member of Alpha Xi Delta, returning to campus was something she had been looking forward to after spending the summer away. “I was excited to get things started up again because I was actually bored out of my mind,” Carr caid. She described her first day as “easy, exciting, and entertaining,” although finding her classrooms was one of her biggest challenges.
Myron Malson, a junior and member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, “I was tired and hungry because I missed my flights, but I was excited because I got to see my friends and come back to fraternity,” Malson said. He described the first day as “long, hot, yet easy,” since many of his classes focused on going over syllabi and expectations for the semester.
With the semester now underway, each student has personal goals they hope to accomplish. Dickerson plans to maintain a B average, attend most of her classes and become more engaged with the material she is learning. Carr hopes to stay on top of her classwork and avoid taking many naps. Malson said he wants to earn all A’s while also putting himself out there and making more friends. Malson already knows that accounting will be one of his biggest academic challenges this semester. He plans to attend supplemental instruction when possible to help him better understand the material.
For Dickerson, having her friends and sorority sisters alongside her has already made the return to campus more enjoyable.
Carr is especially looking forward to living with her Alpha Xi Delta sisters again and beginning another year together. “I’m excited to be living with my sisters,” Carr said. “I’m excited to be living in the house again and starting a new year.”
As the first day comes to a close, students may still be adjusting to new schedules, classrooms and responsibilities, but the excitement of beginning another academic year is clear. For these students, the first day was just the beginning of another semester of learning, friendships and new experiences.
Camdyn Dickerson and Sadie Kilgore posing in front of the Alpha Xi Delta house on the first day of school (taken by Sadie)
