As a freshman going into University of Richmond this year, I definitely would not have transitioned into college life very well if it weren’t for the Multicultural Pre-Orientation program that I registered for early this summer. Moving into a dorm is stressful enough, so being able to do it when no one is around definitely saved me the awkwardness of having to squeeze through the building hallways with the families of strangers. Without Pre-O, I certainly would have felt more out of touch with the school when the rest of the freshman class arrived and general orientation began. In all honesty, I walked in with low expectations, but emerged feeling like I had a new network of friendly, insightful, and inspiring upperclassmen who I could always call on for anything I needed.
Truth be told, I have yet to meet a single person who actually enjoys cliche icebreaker activities. Of course, Pre- O began with name games, fun facts about everyone, and what seemed like endless introductions. We were each assigned a “special,” who was an upperclassman who volunteered to guide us through the program and act as mentors to us for as long as we need them. What made this experience fantastic was how thrilled our mentors were to actually meet us. Instead of feeling as though I was just another annoying freshman, I immediately felt like I had been welcomed into a warm, loving extended family. Instead of awkward games and dry conversations, we quickly dived into conversations about serious topics that made the vibe of the group extremely open and judgment-free. Because our mentors created this environment for us, it was easy to make friendships that didn’t feel forced or artificial like one normally expects during the first week of a new school.
What made my mentors so excellent during the three-day program was that they made it very clear to us that we could go from discussing tough topics to dancing around and singing like idiots together in a heartbeat. Knowing that I could look up to them without them looking down to me is what made me feel like I had really joined the Richmond community. Even outside of Pre-O, I have yet to meet an upperclassman who isn’t willing to help show me around campus or even tell me the best place to get a smoothie or sandwich. The biggest fear a freshman has is being ridiculed by sophomores, juniors, and seniors for doing something that we didn’t know was out of the ordinary. In Pre-O, I realized that everyone who came before me has had some horribly embarrassing experience, and it's almost a rite of passage as a freshman to make at least one mistake and be able to laugh it off.
Walking away from this program made me realize a lot of things about college life that I didn’t know. It’s very easy to make assumptions about university hierarchy based on the images and stories we hear on television and in movies. When going to a small liberal arts college like University of Richmond, you aren’t just going to a school -- you’re joining a family who is genuinely happy to have you in their presence. I’ve rarely been in an environment so warm and accepting while still maintaining the level of prestige that the school has. Pre-O for me wasn’t just a transition into college, it became a transition into my new home, new friends, and my future.
