On Saturday September 22, MSMS welcomed the official Class of 2019 for their first visit to campus as accepted students.

The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science’s campus was teeming with 129 members of the Class of 2019. Registration began bright and early at 7:30am and the events of the day did not close until 4:30pm that afternoon.

The goal of orientation day is to provide students with the necessary information to thrive in their first weeks of school at MSMS, to allow students to meet their future classmates and to allow future students to make their class schedules for the upcoming school year. To assist students in getting to know each other, there was a two hour long “informal student gathering” from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Jax Dallas

Class of 2019 students Peter Nguyen, Advaith Sunil. Loveish Sarolia and Richie Anderson plan to share a suite next year.

“It was really interesting knowing that I was in their shoes just a year ago”, said Kevin Liao, a current MSMS junior, after getting to talk to some incoming students. Liao went on to advise the incoming students to “never give up; don’t ever feel like you can’t do something here.”

“People throw around the word ‘family’ a lot here, but that’s honestly what it feels like,” said Drew Lindsey, a current MSMS junior, as he explained the social environment of MSMS to future juniors.

For many seniors present at orientation, seeing the class that was soon to replace their spot within the halls of Hooper and the residence halls was daunting to say the least.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Jax Dallas

Class of 2019 students Sarena Patel and Kyriam Molina meeting each other in front of Hooper.

“It’s great to see these new fresh faces and see all the good they will do here, but it’s a little bittersweet because it proves that we are leaving,” said Ariel Williams, MSMS senior and Emissary, who gave assistance during the “roommate roundup” segment of orientation.

Williams’s sentiments were echoed by Aiyana Gordon, MSMS senior and Emissary, who said that when she saw the current juniors mingling with the upcoming students she “almost didn’t feel like I belonged at the school anymore…In a way they are replacing us.” Gordon went on to recognize the importance of Orientation Day stating, “I have a bigger sense of responsibility of knowing that they know everything about the ins and outs of the school.”

Upcoming student, William Swatrzfager, commented that Orientation Day was “very smooth and well organized…It was very unique and it made me a lot more excited for August and the upcoming school year.”

The incoming students will be reunited again in August when they will begin their two year long journey through MSMS together.