Quincy University held a Week of Welcome for new and returning students during the first week of classes. From morning to night, the office of student development had much to offer, ranging from customizable stress balls and bouquets, treats and snacks and a roving magician.

The first day, St. Clare’s Center sponsored an event for students to make stress balls on the first floor of Friars’ Hall to help vent their angst for opening week.

“This is sponsored by Saint Clare’s. We had some concepts that we wanted to focus on and one being mindfulness,” Cassie Phillips, coordinator of student support services. “So, we wanted a way for students to be mindful and that way was just being stress–free and de–stressing, so having a stress-ball that you can just fidget with is a way of de–stressing, so we thought that would be a great start to their year to start them off on the right foot.”

Sweet P Petals, a mobile flower shop, allowed students to pick their own flowers to arrange into a bouquet to take with them. Trenton Henderson, director of student engagement, said that bouquets will be a campus tradition going forward.

“We started it last year, brought it back this year because it was so popular and we will do it year after year for our week of welcome event,” Henderson said. “We just want them to know that, please make a bouquet, bring one for someone else, bring it for yourself, but just share that kindness.”

On Tuesday morning, the Business Office made fried cinnamon donuts in front of MacHugh Theater which were offered to students and faculty on Friars’ sidewalk.

QU also had a roving magician, Josh McVicar, do magic tricks around the campus, starting at the Student Success Center.

“Personally for me, magic has to hit certain levels to enter my favorite. It’s gotta both be amazing and strong, but it’s gotta leave people laughing,” McVicar, magician and hypnotist, said. “I don’t like people when they walk away after a trick, like ‘Oh, I can’t figure out how he did it.’ I’d rather they just say ‘That was fun.’ You know, that it was an experience. Any magic trick that causes that makes me very happy. This is one of my favorite things to do. When I get to do close–up magic, I’m going to be walking around county halls, around campus, I get to make connections with everybody out there, and that’s what really makes magic fun.”

QU had more to offer students with bowling and pizza. An inflatable bounce house event has been rescheduled for Sept. 22 because of the extreme heat on its scheduled day.