TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Florida A&M and Florida State universities were full of life Monday as students headed to the first day of classes.
We visited both schools to learn about what's new on campus this year.
"It feels like the real first day of school because in the summer it was really dead," said Daja Gordon, a FAMU freshman. "So, everyone's coming here and meeting their friends back again so it's really fun."
And a new school year means new programs to improve campus and the student experience.
This year at FAMU, they're pushing forward a healthier campus initiative. New meal plans, on-campus bicycle stations and more opportunities for students to engage in fun exercises are all part of the plan.
"The Student Government Association purchased new equipment for our recreation center to make students more aware of what's happening there, the healthy lifestyle on our campus, and to bring new and invigorating items to our campus," said Dr. William Hudson Jr., the vice president of FAMU Student Affairs.
The campus is also hoping to be more sustainable with smart trash/recycling cans that send an alert when they're full and new water bottle refill stations.
Administration says changes are on the horizon for students this year, working to create a safer and healthier environment through new initiatives.
Over at FSU, there's the Students Resilience Project, which is a new online tool aimed at freshman to help them adjust to campus, improve their mental health, and deal with stress.
"You've got a place that cares about you and there are things that we can do to help you and I think those programs, to me, are so important right now because we know students get stressed," said FSU President John Thrasher. "I mean, college life is tough."
And with a freshman class of nearly 6,500, FSU has a lot of incoming students to work with.
"We received over 50,000 applications which was a record number for us so we were able to be very selective with this class," said John Barnhill, the assistant vice president for FSU's Enrollment Management. "So this is a very good class."
Two schools, kicking off the new year working to improve campus life for everyone.
With FAMU and FSU's first home football games around the corner, students say they're ready for this weekend. FAMU's game is this Saturday and FSU's is right behind it on Monday.
