Freshmen get a slice of campus life

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - If you've driven on Purdue's campus lately, you will notice that the students are back. 

Wednesday marks the halfway point for freshman orientation also known as Boiler Gold Rush. 

About 6,000 new students crowded onto the Memorial Mall for a giant pizza party Wednesday.  Papa John's Pizza and Hungryboiler.com, a website that lets you order food online from area restaurants, donated 2,000 pizzas to feed the hungry mob. 

BGR committee members said events like this allow freshmen to just relax in their new environment.

"A new student comes here and doesn't need to be worried about where they fit in on campus.  They have a small group of friends already within their groups.  Also, they basically how to get around campus because they've been here a couple of days.  They are also moved into their residence hall.  Which is really important as well," said orientation Chair Brendan Hack.  

"Touring the campus a lot and I get to see where everything is because I have no idea where anything is.  I'm really bad with directions, so that has definitely helped," said freshman Rebekah Thomas.

Hungry Boiler CEO Nick Moore said the total cost to feed 6,000 freshmen is roughly $10,000.