The first day of class is in many ways the most important one of the term. Students come into the classroom alert to everything around them, eager to piece together clues that will answer their ill-defined yet urgent question: "What is this course going to be like?" What teachers say and do on the first day of class is crucial, creating a first impression that sets the tone for the rest of the term. In this article, the author describes an activity she has used successfully on the first day of class at a variety of levels, "Was ist in dem Umschlag?", in which students identify a number of everyday items from an envelope. The activity is an effective and enjoyable way of starting the term for students at a variety of levels.