I don't know about the cicadas. While I am often in Lubbock, I live in Midland.
Indeed, I go to the First Methodist Church with Mrs. Welch (the first mother-in-law). A long-time neighbor, she just moved to a local retirement home maybe a month ago.
I'll bet she's lovely. Lucky you to know her. Does W ever come to town?
I can't imagine that Lubbock would have cicadas and Midland none. Don't they share?
Seriously, I'll never forget that August orientation with the cicadas. My children graduated from Baylor, University of Texas, Texas Tech, and University of WAshington. Tech was the only school that invited (demanded) that the parents come with their students for Freshman orientation. It was quite an experience.
We had to stay in the dorm (they had a parents dorm and a students dorm) and eat in the cafeteria. Then we had to visit the appropriate "schools" and listen to presentations by the department heads. This was in 1979.
Our assignment was the Engineering School, and we were armed with a supply list we had been sent by the school that we had to fill for our student. On the list as "mandatory" was a slide rule. My husband raised his hand and asked what brand (how precise) slide rule is suggested.
The Dean looked startled and said, "A slide rule is not required equipment, why would you ask?"
"Well, it's listed right there in the official Engneering handbook," says my husband.
The Dean blushed and said, "Parents, please cross off the slide rule because no one in the College of Engineering will be able to show your student how to use it -- we are definitely using calculators now and these are the two acceptable models!"
Everyone had a good laugh, and then it was outside to the next building accompanied by the hum of the cicadas. BTW, they were not using computers yet. My sone learned to work with a computer in a lab and in the library before graduation, but the students did not have personal computers at the time (1979).