The Class of 2020 formed the Y Wednesday night at the LaVell Edwards Stadium after the tradition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
New Student Orientation is a time where incoming freshmen students are welcomed through activities, events and traditions continued from past classes. One of these is the student formation of the Y at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, New Student Orientation was virtual and freshman students were not able to form their Y. On Wednesday night the Office of First-Year Experience held an Incoming Class Y-Photo allowing students who began their BYU career in 2020 to become part of the Y.
Daidre Hulick, the new student orientation administrator, said this was their first opportunity to take the photo.
Hulick said she has received a lot of positive feedback from students who were excited to know that they were not skipped over since they were unable to form the Y last year.
Morgan Stocksdale, a sophomore studying elementary education, said she was super excited that BYU allowed her class to form the Y because it was an event she was really looking forward to.
“I saw the freshman this year got to do it and we didn’t, so I was a little disappointed. But I’m really glad that they went back and did something special for us too because we’re BYU students just like everyone else,” Stocksdale said.
Classes over the pandemic were challenging and the transition to college was harder than she had anticipated, Stockdale said. She said BYU is showing they care and understand that the past year was hard for them, and this was a chance to give something back.
Fritz-Carl Morlant, a student majoring in computer science, attended the event and said that classes online were interesting but he felt prepared for these circumstances through serving a mission as is excited to make connections with other students at this event and throughout the school year.
“I’m excited to meet new people and also create memories because that’s what it’s all about with college, making new friends and preparing for the next stage in life,” Morlant said.
He said going forward, he hopes BYU will adapt and implement what was learned during the pandemic to make the experience even better for future college students.
Blair Johnson, a sophomore studying English, said that starting college with online classes was not conventional, but she was able to still form lasting relationships through online classes.
“We each have a really unique experience,” Johnson said, “I know that I relate with [students] on so many things that nobody else knows about or understands.”
She said that this event was a time for sophomores to come together and relate through challenging experiences they encountered in 2020, but she is hopeful that things are getting better now.
Johnson said through this event, BYU is sending a message that the Class of 2020 is not forgotten.
