Ah, summer orientation. For many freshmen in college, this is their first taste of what college is like. You are introduced to your roommate, your first college friends, and your advisor. But quite possibly the most important person you will meet while at orientation is your orientation leader. The orientation staff is a group of students who dedicate their summers to helping freshmen transition to college.
I have had the pleasure of being on UNI's Summer Orientation Staff for two years now, and I must say these past two summers have been some of the best of my life. And I will tell you why. Your orientation coworkers become your family. These are the people you spend every single day with and whom you begin to love dearly. Us orientation staffers are known as being super friendly, professional, and energetic. But have you ever wondered what we're like behind closed doors? Enjoy this list of confessions of an orientation staff.
"The relationships you build with your co-staffers is like no other; I honestly find it difficult to describe the connection in words. The people, who you will consider family by the end of the summer, are the ones who will support you day in and day out, have your back with any situation and are the people you can trust and turn toward. All in all, the relationship you make with your other panther people is simply the best gift!" -Jana
"When you know you're supposed to be doing a certain job during Panther Palooza but your group is so awesome you just want to hang with them all night." -Grace
"When you advise your students against taking the online personal wellness course, but you ended up taking that class yourself... Oops." -Lauren
"When you let people know that there is food available, secretly knowing that you have already had your share and some." -Sarah
"When you tell the students they are only allowed to have one insomnia cookie but you know you just ate three..." -Chambray
"If you had the opportunity to use a dance party room all day everyday, you would use it too. During my three years we had multiple "staff only" black light dance parties on our days off which included red bull and teaching each other dance moves like the whip and nae nae." -Austin
"By the end of the summer you have every single staff member's introduction memorized and catch yourself mouthing them like a read-a-long." -Lauren
"Some freshmen guys would ask me to play one on one in basketball. I'd say alright, but I'm not that good... Little do they know, ball is life!" -Kem
"I really wanted to stay up with the students and talk after Panther Palooza, but I am too tired. Trust me, I do not wake up 'like this.'" -Grace
"Confession: When the boss hands you the golf cart keys, you know you've made it." -Maddy
"When you try really hard to memorize all of your students' names each session and then see them on campus in the fall and you refer to them as "Hey...you..". Then lay awake at night and remember their name and can't sleep because of how bad you feel for not knowing it in the moment." -Lauren
"You spend your time obsessing over everyone's outfits because so far this summer your life has been all khakis and polos." -Chambray
"Parents are way cooler than college freshmen." -Joey
"The whole Hagemann Hall becomes your living space, not just your room. During the weekends, the staff always ends up making the rec room our little vacation spot. It is not only air conditioned, but every time we were down there I can honestly say I added another memory to the books!" -Jana
"As much as I loved helping students on Day 2, a majority of my day was spent counting down to the staff-wide orientation coma AKA the best nap of your life." -Maddy
"Trying to get a conversation started at lunch, saying it is a great time to meet new people and make friends, but really you just want to have time to eat your own lunch..." -Joellen
"Confession: I once spiked a student in the face because I take wallyball too seriously..." -Joey
"Confession: I killed Oscar, the exercise ball's mother." -Michael
"Confession: I would only volunteer to pick up parking signs so I could cruise across campus in the golf cart." -Joellen
"Be prepared to buy at least five bottles of Febreze....Let's just say your polo may not be as clean as people think it is!" -Jana
"Confession: One time I forgot to tell the rest of the staff our updated report time, so everyone showed up 10 minutes early..." -Joey
"During the LONG days of hall prep and training you wish you would've gotten a normal summer job. However, when you eventually see the smile of a student you gave a helping hand or a couple of kind words to, you are beyond thankful that you didn't settle for a normal summer job. Because this job is more than just being a face of the university or an expert on the liberal arts core. This job helps make students' dreams of college start becoming a reality. You are given the opportunities to make a positive impact on future Panthers. You discover more about yourself and grow more during a summer than you ever thought you could grow in a lifetime." -Lauren
