Welcome back students! You may remember us from last year as “The Scoop”—well, we’ve changed our name to “e-TrueBlue: Ann Arbor Campus.” Every other Thursday, you’ll get this e-newsletter featuring inside news about campus, helpful survival tips and useful information for students by students at the Student Alumni Council of the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan.

Get involved in the Student Alumni Council, a student organization sponsored by the Alumni Association. You’ll have the opportunity to organize campus events such as Parents Weekend, Homecoming, Senior Days and write for e-TrueBlue: Ann Arbor Campus. The mass meeting is on Sunday, Sept. 8, at the Alumni Center (next to the Michigan League). Come join the most spirited student group on campus and have some fun!




Ann Arbor is hopping once again, thanks to residence hall move-in this week and the return of students to campus. We’d like to welcome the 5,200 freshmen moving in this week and the 4,400 returning students that are headed back to the dorms. New U-M President Mary Sue Coleman wants to welcome you, too. Check out her welcome to Michigan video for students.

Now that you’re here, it’s time to kick back and have some fun before the grind of studying and classes begins on Tuesday, Sept. 3. The Welcome to Michigan program, starting today and ending on Sept. 3, is an annual U-M tradition. This weeklong program features campus-wide events and programs to help you get acquainted (or reacquainted) with the U. It’s full of fun, as well! There are nine “anchor” events throughout the week, in addition to a ton of smaller events and activities. Welcome Week booklets were delivered to all residence hall rooms, or you can pick one up at a Campus Information Center (in the Michigan Union or at Pierpont Commons on North Campus). You can also check out all the events online.

The Central Campus Recreation Building will be open late during the 2002--03 academic year. The Michigan Student Assembly has decided to keep the CCRB open until 1 a.m. on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, based on a vote by the Advisory Committee on Recreational Sports. If a significant number of students take advantage of the extended hours the advisory committee may decide to have the CCRB open until 1 a.m. every day.

It can be difficult to give your dorm or apartment a cozy atmosphere with limited space and money; however, here are a few ideas to add some panache to your room. For the dorm-dwellers: You don’t have a lot of space or flexibility, but it’s amazing what you can do to make your room stand out. Consider purchasing a colorful throw rug to bring your room together. Add plants and posters for a personal touch. If watering plants regularly is not your thing, invest in a cactus, and lighting makes a big difference—the overhead fluorescent light can really kill the atmosphere. Add floor and desk lamps for a softer look. For the off-campus students: If your landlord allows it, paint the walls! It’s a cheap and easy way to add some color to a room. Now that you’re moving up, consider buying some inexpensive frames for your posters. Add plants, as well. Fabric stores are a great place to buy inexpensive goodies to cover your sofa cushions or for a tapestry for the wall.

Take some time to see “Jekyll & Hyde” at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre. The play, directed by Wendy Sielaff, is based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Performances are Thursday, Sept. 12--Saturday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 15, at 2 p.m. Tickets go on sale Sept. 8. Check out the Ann Arbor Civic ticket office to purchase tickets.

You won’t want to miss Meijer Madness tomorrow, Aug. 30, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. This is the most popular event during Welcome Week, and it’s a ton of fun! The University will provide free shuttle service to Meijer, the area’s largest mega store, all night. At Meijer, you can enjoy games, free food, prizes, shopping, music and more! It’s also your chance to purchase those last-minute items you’ll need for your dorm. Don’t miss it!

Now you can see the number one romantic movie, as chosen by the users of the International Movie Database, at the Michigan Theater. “Casablanca,” the 1942 classic film, is free to students on Monday, Sept. 2; all you have to do is show your student ID.

On noon, Saturday, Aug. 31, make sure you have your Mcard handy and arrive early to the U-M vs. Washington football game. A new policy, designed to prevent student tickets from falling into the hands of nonstudents, will require student ticket holders to present their Mcards before entering the Big House. Items that are prohibited from entering the stadium include bags of any size (fanny packs, backpacks and binocular cases), containers of any kind, umbrellas and seat backs, alcoholic beverages and food.