Irene. A name that the newest Brandeisians are unlikely to soon forget.

Orientation 2011 may not have had the most standard of beginnings—Sunday's move-in day was rather suddenly turned into a Saturday and Monday affair—but from its wet and windy start came a most illustrious week of transition for the Class of 2015.

Once everyone was at least partially settled in on Monday, the new class brought in a new academic year with remarks from a largely new administration at Brandeis Beginnings.

Then, with barbecue food fresh in stomach and sans those last remaining parental units, the throngs of bewildered first-years waddled along cautiously behind their yellow-shirted authority figures toward their first major evening of activities: a casino night at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center and a makeshift country club in Levin Ballroom.

Tuesday's Academic Fair may have seemed slightly overwhelming (but only until yesterday's activities fair, of course). And those ever-perky Orientation Leaders made their AIDE groups laugh out loud for the sake of Rights and Responsibilities at the Values Program. And for every type of student—from those mathletes to them athletes—Tuesday night's party was quite a success.

The title said it all at Wednesday's Sexy Land, put on by Student Sexuality Information Services, and after tours galore for those still lost, a Fun Home discussion and block party were certainly adored.

By Thursday, classes had begun, but the introductory fun wasn't over quite yet. Saturday night's Battle of the Brandeis DJs presented some loud and boisterous fun.

Sunday's afternoon boat cruise wrapped it all up—a week that began with the Class of 2015 practically swimming onto our Waltham campus ended with them cruising coolly atop the waters of Boston Harbor, now finally prepared for college, ready for whatever comes next.