Most school years kick off at Arizona State University with football games, monsoon storms and a jam-packed Sun Devil Welcome rally at the basketball arena.
But this is 2020.
Life on campus will look decidedly different as the ASU community adjusts to the realities of learning in the era of COVID-19. There are, however, plenty of traditions and social events happening as the university offers students a full slate of welcome activities. Some of those events — such as the iconic Sun Devil Welcome — were shifted to a virtual format. But others are in-person activities in small-group settings, with face coverings and physical distancing.
Here, we've captured photos and screenshots from a sampling of the scores of welcome events. Life is different, but Sun Devils still shine bright — even with face coverings on.
Check back as we add more photos.
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Sustainability senior Raven Fielding places a sign on the windshield of the family of an incoming freshman during the University Housing move-in at the Tempe campus on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. Though the move-in process took two weeks amid the pandemic, University Housing took safety precautions and respected social distancing as much as possible.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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University Housing's Jennifer Gene (left) and Lauren Antush hand out keys and packets for new Palo Verde West students during move-in at the Tempe campus on Aug.15.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Rob Marshall, a volunteer mover with Church on the Street, leads a procession to the Manzanita resident hall during the university housing move-in on Aug. 15.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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ASU freshman Carson Cady's family waits for him on Saturday to eat breakfast together. Clockwise from left: father Bill, sister Sierra, mother Pam and sister Sedona, all from Chicago. Carson moved in Tooker House the prior day.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Incoming aerospace engineering freshman Alex Deditch carries his skateboard while his father, Alan, carts the computer monitor, as he moves into Tooker House on the Tempe campus on Aug. 15. Once moved in, new Sun Devils will have orientations and welcome events for their hall floors, schools and campuses, with some being virtual and others in person with limited attendance.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Riley O'Neil, a third-year finance and data analytics student, and fourth-year mechanical engineering student Malak Kidd (right) give directions to the father of an incoming student at the Ask Me! booth outside the Tempe campus Memorial Union on Aug. 17. Kidd is part of the Student Admissions Relations Team.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Brandon Gross, with ASU Student Engagement, places a sticker on the ground in front of the Ask Me! booth outside the Memorial Union.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Gabby Glubochansky (center) and Danielle Kurtz, of the Hillel Jewish Student Center talk with a new student at the Ask Me! booth at PV Beach on the Tempe campus on Aug. 17. Various student organizations are working the info booths through the start of classes.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Kajol Kapadia (left) with Undergraduate Student Government Tempe, wraps up a conversation with Hasan Minhaj as part of the ASU Fall Welcome Speaker event on Aug. 17. Minhaj is the host and creator of the comedy show "Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj." He spoke about racial, political and voting issues before answering students' questions.
Screen grab by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts Dean Steven Tepper and student panelists give advice they wish they would have received when they were first-year students, at the virtual Herberger Institute Undergraduate Student Welcome on Aug. 18.
Screen grab by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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ASU students and faculty from around the world welcome their new classmates during Sun Devil Welcome on Aug. 18. The annual pep rally, which was held virtually this year, introduces incoming students to the university's 15 schools and colleges, its four main campuses and what it means to be a Sun Devil.
Screen grab by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication seniors Tyler Manion (left) and Tina Giuliano served as hosts at the virtual Sun Devil Welcome.
Screen grab by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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ASU alumni, including journalist Christine Devine, joined in the fun of Sun Devil Welcome to wish their best to the Class of 2024.
Screen grab by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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ASU's Hip Hop Coalition joined the Sun Devil Welcome with a pre-recorded high-energy performance to get people pumped for fall 2020.
Screen grab by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Videos shown as part of Sun Devil Welcome on Aug. 18 taught new students about the university's history and traditions.
Screen grab by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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President Michael Crow spoke to incoming students at the virtual Sun Devil Welcome.
Screen grab by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Sparky lets students know about the ASU tradition of wearing gold on Fridays during the virtual Sun Devil Welcome.
Screen grab by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Students are seated socially distanced during the Solera Experience for new students on the West campus on Wednesday, Aug. 19. The annual Welcome Week event focuses on creating friendships and familiarity with ASU with team-building activities, welcome talks and opportunities for clubs and volunteering.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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First-year communications student Savannah Rich takes notes during the Solera Experience for new students on the West campus on Wednesday.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Programming and Activities Board member Lauren Granillo talks about the social, academic and physical opportunities available to students on the West campus during the Solera Experience for new students.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Incoming first-year students work together to learn about their new campus through an Escape Room game during the Solera Experience at the West campus.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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“Professor Mo” Molina Walters (left) hands out free T-shirts at the Ask Me! information booth outside the Student Union on the Polytechnic campus during the first day of the fall semester on Thursday, Aug. 20.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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First-year natural resources ecology student Makenzie Highley takes a break in the Polytechnic campus Student Union between classes during the first day of the fall semester. The campus has 5,166 immersion (on-campus) students enrolled for fall.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Students walk along the Sonoran Arroyo Mall on the Polytechnic campus during the first day of the fall semester.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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First-year students Aaron Choi (left), Quinn Gibson and Marcus Negrete (back row) are the only in-class students of the 22 enrolled in Eric Brown's ENG 101 Composition class during the first day of the fall semester on the Tempe campus. Despite the coronavirus challenges, the Tempe campus has around 52,300 immersion (on-campus) students.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Teaching assistant Eric Brown guides his ENG 101 students through the apps they'll be using in the class on Thursday.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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First-year students Jordan Acosta (left) and Michael Enero stroll along Palm Walk during the first day of the fall semester Thursday. Acosta is studying environmental science, and Enero is in computer science.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Third-year biology and neurological science student Angela Trejl listens to the live lecture from her neuro-anatomy class from the (relatively) cool basement level of Coor Hall on Thursday in Tempe.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Roommates Jonathan Wigington (left) and David Pearce socially distance as they and others wait to get into the Sun Devil Campus Store in Tempe to get books and supplies on the first day of the fall semester. The two are second-year students; Wigington is in justice studies; Pearce, digital studies.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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Banners flying over Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe welcome back students with the motto, “Forks Up, Masks Up,” on Aug. 22.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
Top photo: Aerospace engineering senior Pranjul Nagpal (right) gives a tour of the campus to engineering first-year students (from left) Trevor Johnson, Bayley Helfrich and Limary Rodriguez on Aug. 15. Nearly 1,300 out-of-town students joined more than 10,500 others in moving into the Tempe campus residence halls. Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
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