So I, as well as an amazing group of others here at Saint Mary's, have just started our orientation leader training. We will be spending the month of June either preparing for orientation or orientating. I know firsthand that going through orientation can be a terrifying experience. I mean I went through it when I first got to Saint Mary's. So I thought I would just give a little bit of advice for all those incoming first years so that orientation does not seem like such a scary thing.
My first piece of advice is to ask questions. Please, please, please ask questions. Orientation Leaders, at least those at Saint Mary's, have been prepared to answer almost any question a student or guest can ask. I know that I eagerly await all of the questions that a new student is going to ask and then I always get a little disappointed when everyone is just a little too shy to ask about the college they are attending. I mean I understand being shy, especially around an entirely new group of people, but I also know that most of the new students are just as nervous and probably want the question you ask answered as well.
My second piece of advice is to be yourself. It is perfectly fine to come to orientation and think that it is a great time to start to reinvent yourself. College is a time for change and discovery after all. I am only saying that you don't need to try so hard to be someone you're not especially at orientation. If you want to make friends, that's great, but it is better if you make them by being who you genuinely are.
My third piece of advice is to not be afraid of your orientation leader. We may seem like a crazy bunch of students, but that is only because we are so excited about the orientation day. Some of us also basically have bloodstreams made of caffeine. We may seem overly excited and energetic, but that is only because we are overly excited and energetic. Our job is to give you the best orientation that we can. With this being my second year as an orientation leader, I can say from experience that the way to make that happen is to talk to us. Don't be afraid. We are college students also. We have all been through our own orientation and remember how we felt.
My final piece of advice is short and sweet. Have fun. You are about to have a great experience at the college that you chose to go to. Which, in the case of Saint Mary's, was a great choice. This orientation could be where you meet some of your best friends in college. I know mine was. This is one of your first big college experiences and you should really make the most of it. Good luck at orientation, all of you first years!
