HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Students at Northern Kentucky University and Xavier University returned to class Monday for the first day of the semester.
We spoke with NKU freshman Alexis Conaway, who said she's been taking in "VictorFest" and the school's welcome festivities.
"It's been a little busy and overwhelming, but it's been pretty fun," said Conaway.
That new year buzz could be felt throughout campus as thousands returned to class.
"I'm really excited, I mean, we want to play some dodgeball games that we didn't get to over the summer, so I'm really excited and I'm just looking forward to going back to school," said Ryan Johnston, a junior at NKU.
WATCH: WCPO 9 News went to both campuses to see what new resources are available to students this semester
Johnston and Braylon Patton are upperclassmen who are active in organizations on campus. The two said they're excited about some of the school's new additions to campus — specifically the brand new welcome center, where student support services are offered.
"There is so many things to do, you're going to definitely find yourself and who you want to be as a person," said Patton.
NKU President Cady Short-Thompson said this year's freshman enrollment is as large as last year's, which was up 17%.
"There's some choppiness right now in higher education, so some of our graduate numbers are a bit suppressed right now, but some of them start mid-semester because we have two different 7-week terms, so we anticipate those numbers increasing as the semester goes on," said Short-Thompson.
Across the river, freshmen at Xavier are still getting settled in their new dorms.
"It is definitely a great welcome, I'm so excited," said Adiana Arroyo, a freshman at Xavier.
Fewer freshmen are beginning classes at Xavier this year as the university changes recruiting models, according to letters from Xavier leadership.
A letter from Scott Clyde, vice president for strategic enrollment management, says Xavier, a private school, is welcoming roughly 800 new first-year and transfer students to campus this year. Xavier's first day of classes was today.
Despite the fewer students, Xavier said its undergraduates will have access to new majors, new coffee shops and eateries, plus a new partnership with Metro and Lyft for discounts.
"New this year — artificial intelligence, cyber security, 3D game design," said Doug Ruschman, marketing and communications director at Xavier.
