When I stepped on the campus of Texas Tech University for college orientation, my first thought was, "What have I gotten myself into?" Here I was, an eighteen-year-old from a small town in Oklahoma now deep in the heart of Texas. I graduated from high school with only 42 people and now I was joining 24,000 other students from all over the world at a school that was in an entirely different state! I was slightly overwhelmed, to say the least. I decided to attend college orientation because, like most new freshmen, I had no idea what life at college was really like. I wanted to find out what dorm life was like, how the cafeteria food tasted, what classes I was going to take, and most importantly, what being a Texas Tech Red Raider was all about.
Well, I can honestly say that I got to experience all of these things and more! My trip was very eventful and probably one of the best things I could have done to prepare myself for life away from home. Along with 500 other freshmen, I determined what the next year of my life was going to have in store for me. During orientation, the new freshmen were able to live in the dorms, eat dorm food (which was surprisingly good!), and talk to current students about their experiences at college. We were given tours of the campus and were taught the traditions that make our school special. I especially enjoyed being able to look at a dorm room similar to the one I would be living in. That gave me the chance to plan exactly what furnishings to bring. Also, there were several sessions on becoming involved on campus, and a fair with booths representing many different organizations.
Probably the most important part of my orientation experience was getting to talk to an academic advisor and decide what classes I was going to take. Choosing classes sounds like a fairly easy task until you sit down and take a look at the hundreds of classes your college offers. When I opened the catalogue, it seemed like there were millions of choices! I would have never been able to make the right decisions on my own. I made an appointment to talk to an advisor and have them explain to me exactly what I was doing. I was then able to make a knowledgeable decision about what classes I needed to take.
If the college you are choosing offers orientation for incoming freshmen, my advice is SIGN UP! Not only will you gather information important to your future success, but you will also be able to meet several of the students who will be in your class. College orientation can truly be your key to success!
How to Make Your College Orientation Experience a Success
- Take your parents. At many colleges, parents are welcome to attend orientation with the student. Attending orientation will give your parents vital information as well as lessen their anxieties about letting you live away from home. College orientation can help ease a parent’s transition as well as your own.
- Take placement/CLEP exams. Many times colleges will offer placement exams (free exams to help determine what level classes you should be starting) or CLEP exams (exams where you can earn college credit) during orientation. You may be able to save money on expensive classes by gaining credit through exams. It is definitely a worthwhile investment.
- Meet as many people as you can. You will be attending orientation with several new students who are going through the exact same thing you are. This is your chance to make several good friends to hang out with when the school year starts.
- Talk to older students and professors. These people are valuable sources of information. Ask them all of your questions. They will generally give you very honest answers.
- Become familiar with the campus. This is the place where you will most likely be spending several years of your life. Take the time you have at orientation to become familiar with all of the buildings, restaurants, and stores. By doing this you won’t be lost the first few weeks of school.
- Visit the financial aid office. Use some of your free time to visit the financial aid office, explore scholarship and employment opportunities and make sure that all of your financial aid records are correct. When I checked on my records, the college had accidentally written down one of my scholarships for $1000 less than it was supposed to be! It was a good thing I had gone to check!
- Talk to an advisor. College advisors are there to help you…so let them! Always talk to an advisor before you schedule your classes to make sure that you are making the right decisions. They will make the whole enrollment process just a little bit easier.
This article originally appeared on Making It Count.
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