Through the decades, signing up for classes has gone from standing in line to going online. Some things just get easier with time!

1968: Registration session in Allyn Hall

1973: Student registration cards

Signing up for classes in 1973 involved "registration sessions," in which each student was assigned a time to report to a specially set up area in Allyn Lounge. With the above card in tow, he or she would make the rounds to departments pertaining to each desired class, where a faculty member or advisor would either add the student to the class roster—or not—depending on space available. After that, each student's card was sent to a campus data processing center, where the student's information was entered using keypunch technology.

1979: Registration window, Allyn Hall - for this couple, the day included registering for classes and taking their marriage vows

"The result was that registration could take days, with long lines outside of Allyn Lounge," said current assistant director of operations for undergraduate admissions July Cathcart. At that time, she was an undergraduate student who also worked at the Wright State Piqua Campus from 1971 until it closed in 1985. "This mass registration process was also repeated by personnel from the Registrar's Office and colleges coming to the Piqua Campus and the Western Ohio Branch Campus (now Lake campus) each term."

By the 1990's Wright State had updated its registration processes. The campus was able to avoid those long lines and register by telephone through Raider Express.

1986: Registration line

1995: Registering by telephone through Raider Express made standing in line unnecessary.

1973: Card catalog files dominated space in the University Libraries, with areas set up to promote quiet study.

1973: University Library computer center

In the early days, conducting research or checking out a book required being physically on hand during library hours and perusing the card catalog. Today, the catalog is all online and can be accessed from any location 24/7.

And, through the Libraries membership in OhioLINK, users have a connection to the holdings of all the state's 17 public universities, 23 community/technical colleges, 44 private colleges, and the State Library of Ohio.

1996: With the catalog going online in 1986, computers became the prevailing library tool

While always known as "The Raiders," WSU's mascot has undergone several permutations.

2007: On January 8, the WSU Athletics department revealed the new fiercer mascot.

1986: Mascot revealed

The first unofficial Raider mascot was a Pirate and a Yosemite Sam look-a-like. Rowdy the Viking was introduced in 1986, with WSU student Fond Kiser creating the first line drawings and color renderings. As part of a re-branding of WSU athletics in 1997, the Viking Rowdy went into retirement and a new Rowdy was introduced in the image of a wolf, which represents one of the most formidable "raiders" in the animal kingdom. In 2007, a bolder, fiercer version of Rowdy wolf was introduced.

1982: First pirate mascot

2000: Wolf Rowdy

In 1968, all soccer games took place on the grounds in front of University Center. Then, in 1999, the WSU Raider men and women's soccer games moved to the new Alumni Field.

1968: Business education class

Through the decades, technology has changed as much, if not more, than anything else. From spiral notebooks and pencils to computer notebooks and mice, technological devices will continue to play larger and more advanced roles in the learning process for years to come.

1985: Computer lab