First 40

For the fourth year, the Source asked a group of first-year students to track their first 40 days on campus, one second of video at a time. They captured walks on campus, Zoom classes and masks — lots and lots of masks. And previous vloggers shared how the COVID crisis has impacted their college careers.

In the past three years, eight students kept a video diary of their first days as first-year students. Find out what has changed for them in the past year.

In the past two years, five students kept a video diary of their first days as first-year students. Find out what has changed for them in the past year.

What’s it like to be a member of the Washington University in St. Louis Class of 2022? First-year students Ella Holman, who is a dancer and member of the Deneb STARS, and Marissa Kalkar, a soccer player, have chronicled the first weeks of life on campus by shooting one second of video every day. 

A lot has changed for international student Astrella Sjarfi of Jakarta, Indonesia, and football player Tim Tague of Orinda, Calif., since they each shot a second of video during their first 40 days at Washington University in St. Louis in 2017. Here, they share their new goals and reflections on their first year.

We asked three members of the Class of 2021, including Astrella Sjarfi, to record one second of video every day for their first 40 or so days of college. Learn more about Sjarfi and her two fellow students as they navigated these first unforgettable days on the Danforth Campus.

4,000 glow sticks, 50 academic progams, 100 First 40 events make the start of the school year special for new students.

First-day-of-school pictures — showing smiling little kids carrying brand-new backpacks — are an annual tradition for many families. Fortunately, for family members of WUSTL students, staff members are keeping the tradition alive. Part of  “First 40” programming, staff members take students’ photos and hand out free school supplies. Right, junior Jeannette Mundy is one of many upperclassmen who still observe the tradition.