University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

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Members of the Razorback fla- 9line display a banner to com¬ memorate Sept. 11. Students stood and honored the 12 Ar¬ kansas soldiers who died while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan the previous year with a mo¬ ment of silence. Photo Courtesy of the Arkansas Traveler Tragedy Remembered 15

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Three-year anniversary of 9 11 restored students’ faith and unity while honoring those who served time at war Carolyn Finnie Every generation experienced life-altering milestones - the at¬ tack on Pearl Harbor, the assas¬ sination of JFK, the crash of the Challenger. Likewise, the terrorist attacks committed on Sept. 11, 2001 forever changed our genera¬ tion. It was a date etched into his¬ tory and a fateful memory forever embedded into our minds. We all remembered where we were, what we were doing, what thoughts raced through our minds while watching the horrific mo¬ ments unfold. These emotions forever set this date apart from any other. Three years had passed since thousands of lives were taken after the devastating terrorist attacks when students, faculty, alumni and the rest of the world sat in horror as the first of two planes crashed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. The acts of terror left Americans filled with disbelief, tremendous sorrow and unyielding anger. This year, the Arkansas-Texas game took place on the three-year anniversary of the attacks, provid¬ ing a time for reflecting on the past and looking ahead toward a brighter future. And the Razor- back Marching Band set out to do just that. To honor those who died in the attacks and those who had since died at war, the Razorback March¬ ing Band performed a commemo¬ ration show titled “In Memory of 9 11 01.” Prior to the game, F-16s flew over Donald W. Reynolds Stadium to kick off the show. At halftime, Arkansas soldiers repre¬ senting various military units who served time in Iraq and Afghani¬ stan stood on the field, and a mo¬ ment of silence was observed for the 12 fallen Arkansans lost to the war in the previous year. The entire performance required extensive practice and rehearsal. “Perfect timing was our big¬ gest concern,” Razorhack March¬ ing Band drum major and senior Charles Frazier said. “The script that was read had been written in such a way that big impact mo¬ ments in the music would line up with powerful moments in the script.” Band director Timothy Gunter said, “I believed that we had the obligation on the day of 9 11 to take our audience to a place of remembrance and reverence as we try to get them to focus on the memory of the lost, the bravery of our troops, and what they can do as Americans to help.” The Sept. 11 attacks gave Americans a sense of national uni¬ ty that they had not experienced for generations. And certainly, the impact of the anniversary perfor¬ mance greatly enhanced the spirit at the football game and brought back many emotions. “It was also our job to bring them back to the football game, the place they have chosen to be and the reason they are there that night,” Gunter said. “It is true that this is a serious show in that we are not only remembering a terrible time for our country, but honor¬ ing our soldiers and the thousands who lost their lives in this horrible tragedy.” “I was very pleased with the re¬ sult of the band’s hard work,” Fra¬ zier said. “There were moments just during rehearsals that really touched me and times where the entire band and our staff just knew that on game day we were going to do something very special.” The Razorback Marching Band set out to capture the pride of Americans and to honor our country. In turn, they not only re¬ stored students’ sense of unity but strengthened it. Students stood united in the stadium amongst our nation’s heroes. Soldiers representing all of the military branches from Arkansas who served time in Iraq and Afghanistan stand on the field in the Sept. 11 com¬ memoration halftime show. Students honored the soliders for their courageous service to our country. Photo Courtesy of the Arkansas Traveler 14 Student Life

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Freshmen say goodbye to home and head for the Hill, anxiously awaiting a new semester and a new way of life Carolyn Finnie ♦ Emily Milholen Lines of cars, piles of suitcases, nervous parents and eager fresh ' men signified move-in day was un¬ derway on college campuses across the nation. Each year at the UA, the miser¬ able August heat, the never-end¬ ing staircases and the dilemma of how everything would fit in such a tiny living space plagued freshmen and upperclassmen alike as they headed to the UA for yet another year of classes, bringing each of them one step closer to the closing of this chapter of their lives. Whether it was an on-campus dorm or an off-campus apartment, parents were forced to say good¬ bye as they somehow found a way to smile and wave as their cars drove into the distance. Mean¬ while, their “babies” anxiously waited to settle in and begin the college experience. Residence halls opened for stu¬ dents on Aug. 19, 2004, marking the beginning of a terribly hectic few days for new students. Between unpacking, buying books, finding classes and making hundreds of trips to Wal-Mart, students hardly found time to sleep. One of the benefits of moving in early was the opportunity to meet other new students. Many students were eager to make new friends by helping oth¬ ers move in to the dorms. One such student was freshman Melissa Myers, who thought the move-in process was “overall pretty suc¬ cessful.” “Move-in seemed very well-or¬ ganized, although hauling boxes up and down the stairs wasn’t much fun,” Myers said. “The only problem was instructing parents where to park their cars.” After days of eager preparation, the arrival of the first day of classes on Aug. 23, 2004 marked the be¬ ginning of Welcome Week, a series of activities designed to encourage students to interact with one an¬ other, become connected to the campus and learn about student involvement opportunities. The Academic Convocation served as the official welcome for freshmen. This annual event was held at Bud Walton Arena. There was also a luau at Pomfret Honors Quarters, as well as a Wel¬ come Back Picnic. Freshmen learned to call the hogs at the annual freshman pep rally, which was held in the Greek Theater on Aug. 26, 2004- The resounding sounds of the band and the voices echoing across campus signaled to upperclassmen that the freshmen had arrived. By the end of Welcome Week, new students were finally settled in and filled with the Razorback spirit. Freshmen, who were required to live on-campus, learned the basics of college life during their time in the dorms: order pizza like a pro, sleep until dinnertime, wear show¬ er shoes, procrastinate at all costs. Despite complaints of cramped space and annoying roommates, the dorms provided an opportuni¬ ty for students to feel a part of the UA campus and to become one with the community. The dorms were more than just places to eat, sleep and study. They were a lifestyle. An unforgettable experience like no other. Two students and their fami¬ lies wait for help to arrive out¬ side Humphreys Hall during move-in week. Despite the hu¬ mid August heat, the move-in weekend went smoothly, and students were settled into the dorms just in time for classes to begin. Photo courtesy of the Arkansas Traveler 16 Student Life