Dukes: We welcome new energy back to USC campus

I went for a walk one morning recently, and had the Horseshoe to myself. Beautiful. Like one of those rare occasions when you are walking on the beach and there’s not another soul around. Stillness, quiet, peace. I thought about how the campus was in the calm before the storm.

Now the university is bustling again. Our fair capital city has swelled in population. Shops and restaurants once again are filled with youth and energy.

Walking alone in the heart of campus, I thought back to my days at USC. I thought of old friends — the places we ate, studied, played intramurals, danced and did life together. I thought of our school’s history and charm. The special place that USC was and is in the lives of so many South Carolinians.

Perhaps you remember how exciting and overwhelming the fall of your freshman year was … entering into the world of college. Meeting kids from all over the state, country and beyond. Opening new doors into classrooms and dorm rooms. Sitting in the Russell House or around the reflecting pool discussing life with your new-found friends. We were all so fortunate to be a part of the University of South Carolina.

I hope you have an opportunity to make a young student feel welcome this fall. I hope students will look up from their electronic devices and say hello, like we all used to. If they don’t, greet them with some Southern kindness anyway. Perhaps they’ll take some time to unplug and walk around a campus garden, or find a nice courtyard.

I may not have the Horseshoe to myself again until May, but I’m glad students are back to continue to bring life to our university and our city.

This story was originally published August 22, 2015 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Dukes: We welcome new energy back to USC campus."