The Jayhawks are migrating back to town.

Thousands of Kansas University students will settle into their living quarters this weekend in preparation for the start of the fall semester. Classes begin Thursday.

Residence and scholarship halls open to students Sunday, the same day “Hawk Week” — a week of events geared toward introducing new students to KU and Lawrence — begins.

John Wilson remembers what Hawk Week is like. Last year, he was a freshman from Lawton, Okla.

“I didn’t know anybody up here,” he said. “Hawk Week was essential for me to get connected to other people, resources and offices.”

In addition to the traditional events surrounding the start of classes, Hawk Week organizers have added some off-campus events designed to introduce students to the Lawrence community. KU estimates 10,000 students participate in the activities each year.

Thursday night, about 20 downtown businesses will give a 20 percent discount to students who show their IDs. Others will have different offers for students.

The Lawrence Aquatic Center, 727 Ky., will admit students free that day, and buses will run between the Daisy Hill residence halls and downtown.

“We’re trying to get students to realize Lawrence is a great community and show them all that the town has to offer,” said Shanda Hurla, Hawk Week coordinator in the Office of New Student Orientation. “We want to introduce students to the downtown area.”

Kansas University seniors celebrate their return to Lawrence with a toast at The Crossing, 618 W. 12th St. Students moved back to town in droves this week to prepare for the start of classes Thursday at KU.

Another new event this year is a student picnic from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The picnic, open to all new students, is on the Lied Center lawn. Information for obtaining a meal pass for the picnic can be found online, at www.hawkweek.ku.edu/schedule/8-20.shtml.

Student convocation, with speeches by Chancellor Robert Hemenway and others, will follow at 8 p.m. in the Lied Center.

Other popular Hawk Week events will return this week, beginning Sunday at the Kansas Union with “Viva Las Unions,” a casino-style night of games and give-aways.

Monday is Traditions Night, when students learn how to “wave the wheat” and do the Rock Chalk chant, two staples of attending KU sporting events.

“It talks about not only the athletic traditions of KU but the academic traditions of KU,” Hurla said.

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Mixed in with the fun evening activities are workshops and tours of campus. Orientation assistants will take students around campus to show them where their classes are, and organizations will distribute information on their activities.

Wilson said one of those events — a tour of Watson Library — helped him the rest of the year.

“When you’re used to your little high school library, that helps,” he said. “I never regretted doing that.”

Jeshurun Webb searches for a graphic design book in the Kansas University Bookstore. The junior from Prairie Village is one of thousands of KU students who start classes Thursday in Lawrence. Webb bought books Friday in the Kansas Union.