Girls wearing pastel-colored dresses and boys dawning oxfords and slacks congregate in semi-orderly clusters. Peer leaders holding banners of each Residential Common crest lead the groups as they walk the Rotunda Passage.

Parents, residential advisors and teachers cheer on this year’s freshmen class as they walk through Dallas Hall (while avoiding the seal) out to the lawn to continue their passage under a number of balloon arches towards the newly renovated Moody Coliseum.

This SMU tradition called convocation has welcomed every freshman class for the past 100 years. The designated pathway from Dallas Hall to Moody Coliseum will be walked again when they graduate.

While convocation is the most formal welcoming for freshmen, there is no doubt that the class of 2018 is ready to start college.

Hamiz Mushtaq Aman from Pakistan is looking forward to learning for school to start to learn more about business.

“I’m really excited about these few start ups I have in mind, and I’ve heard SMU is big in entrepreneurship so it’s perfect” Aman said.

The anticipation from freshmen transcends to their residential advisors.

Julia Dang, a residential advisor for Kathy Crowe Residential Commons, is happy to see the new students begin their journey at SMU.

“All these young freshmen have been ready to start the school year and have been so positive since they’ve arrived,” Dang said.

As the multi hundred first years line up in rows in the heart of Moody Coliseum, the Mustang Band blares their instruments in the background as teachers and guest speakers walk their way on stage. Their speeches include warm welcomes and words of encouragement that this year’s class will continue the success that SMU has established for itself since 1911.

The convocation ends in uplifting mood as the Mustang Band breaks out in a fast-paced melody and the freshmen walk out to the Moody Coliseum entrance to see balloons, tables of refreshments and a guest appearance by Peruna.

This marks the first completed tradition at SMU. As time goes on, these new students will experience a plethora more- from fountain hopping to riding the horses at Dedman, the class of 2018 has four years of tradition and experiences to make.

Katie Andrews from Colorado is ready to create new memories in Dallas.

“I’m excited to experience boulevarding and learning more about SMU and Dallas as I study further in school,” Andrews said.

Fellow freshman Amber Long also is excited to go boulevarding along with the football games. So far she said her expectations have been surpassed since she’s been on campus.

“SMU is known for doing great things and never disappoints,” she said.