Welcome to the first day of class for the 2006-07 school year.

If you are reading this in class to tune out your already boring professor, it’s going to be a long semester. But we’ll be here four days a week to help you pass the time in and outside of class.

There’s a lot that’s happening at SMU right now and plenty of things to look forward to during the school year.

For the first time in a long time, we have a football team worth talking about.

That means Saturdays will actually involve more than drinking yourself silly on The Boulevard. The games will be worth attending, and the action on the field will be worth celebrating afterwards. A college student can’t ask for much more during the fall.

While your classes may be filled with fellow students, the university’s administration building is much emptier than usual. Four searches for top-level administrators will begin this fall, and only the future of the school is at stake — so, no pressure there.

And finally, there is the opportunity for the first-year students to make their mark on campus by getting involved. Whether it’s joining an organization, creating a new one or just showing up to events, first-year students can bring a fresh perspective.

We’re ready for the school year, and we hope you are too.