It's that time again. Wofford, as well as many other colleges, is gearing up for orientation. Freshmen Orientation AKA the most unforgettable series of the most awkward events helps you meet some of the people that will become your best friends, your people, and the family you never knew you would have.

First comes the very anticipated move in day. Nerves are high, patience is low, and no one really knows what is going on. It's okay!

Then comes the glorious terrifying moment your parents actually leave. We all knew it was coming, but it's not real until you watch their car drive away from you.

All of the OStaff leaders, Deans, the President of the College, and authority figures have been around the block a couple of times so nothing will distract or surprise them.

The mythical disease known to young adults as FOMO (fear of missing out) begins to set in as everyone decides it's a great idea forgo a reasonable amount of sleep in favor of awkward late night cookout runs with people they just met.

Thank you for making our free food expectations unattainable for the rest of our college careers. The multiple BBQs, pizza parties, and ice cream socials you will attend will help start conversations with your fellow classmates as well as your journey to the freshmen fifteen.

Those name games in orientation groups were really helpful a really great way to show how socially inept we all are. However, they do give us some really funny stories to reminisce on when you finally do learn your friends' names after a month.

Thank you for forcing us to participate in some mildly embarrassing group activities that help us form bonds give us something to laugh about. Because the mandatory shag/swing dancing lessons gave us flashbacks to the middle school dances nightmares are made of.

The group "adventures" were also a great way to make friends, whether you melted in the sun at the first football game or were almost knocked out of a raft in the middle of some white water rapids.

Orientation may be a long string of cringe worthy experiences, but the person sitting next to you in the raft (whose name you cannot remember even if the world depended on it) may end up being your best friend. So smile and laugh during awkward silence because trust me, everyone is feeling the same way, everyone is nervous, they probably don't know your name either. Everyone who has come before you wishes they could do it all over again.