The first week of the semester is often a depressing time. The dreaded return of homework and studying is never pleasant.

The Center for Student Activities plans to take some of the edge off with Welcome Week 2011.

Welcome Week is a series of free events for students on campus organized for students by student organizations. Welcome Week kicked off Tuesday with “Campaign for I Love OU.”

“(Campaign for I love OU) is meant to make students excited about coming back to OU. It is a way students can get information about Welcome Week,” Jean Ann Miller, director of Center for Student Activities, said.

In addition to other events, there will also be free gaming in Bumpers Game Room at the Oakland Center from Tuesday through Friday.

On Wednesday, Graham Health Center and Campus Recreation will be hosting “Set Your Intention 2011.”

“(Set Your Intentions 2011) is a variation on New Year’s resolutions. The Graham Health Center and Campus Recreation will be helping students set practical and realistic health goals for the year,” Miller said. “They will be answering any questions about health that students may have.”

The lower level of the OC will be having an open house Thursday. The open house will feature the CSA, OU Student Congress, Student Program Board, Student Video Productions, The Oakland Post and WXOU.

“It is an opportunity for students to find out what activities they can get involved in,” Miller said. “It is also a chance to check out student services and resources.”

Welcome Week also includes athletic events. Men’s and women’s basketball teams are scheduled on Thursday and Saturday. There is a men’s and women’s home swim meet on Saturday as well.

Other fun activities include Friday Night Live featuring David Landau and a presentation of the movie “Inception” in the Fireside Lounge on Friday. Students may pick up a full schedule of Welcome Week 2011 activities in the office of the CSA.

A new event that was added to the schedule this year will be “Late Skate Night.” This will be hosted on Saturday from 7-10 p.m.

“We are going to have an actual indoor roller rink in the OC,” Miller said.

Skates will be provided to students, but they may also bring their own.

“We thought it would be something students would like,” Miller said. “There is going to be music, food and ’80s themed attire.”

The goal of Welcome Week 2011 is to get students, new and old, to have fun on campus.

“Hopefully people are not going home the first weekend,” Miller said.

The goal of Welcome Week is to make people happy and excited that they came to OU.

“It is an exciting way to promote the semester. We want people to be proud of their college choice,” Miller said.