Some of you freshman may be traveling across several states, and some maybe just down the block. You may be coming in as a nervous wreck, or maybe your parents are the nervous wreck. You could be outgoing or clammed up to yourself. No matter how you came in, none of it would be possible without some very important people. We are the Orientation Team, and we are here to help you become Bulldogs. As you’re coming in, you may take a few things we do for granted, but here are the various things we do behind the scenes.

We wake up bright and early to set everything up. This includes the skit we put on and the registration forms. We put on warm, welcoming faces to welcome you into your new home. We deal with the same questions that have been repeatedly been asked throughout the day, and answer them as if you were the first to ask. We console your worried parents and ease your nerves. We strive to be as informational as we can and entertain you at the same time. We’ve given countless tours across campus and guide the newbies who can tend to become lost. Even after you become familiar with this beautiful campus, we provide freshman orientation classes twice a week for you to gain more knowledge about where you now call home. We guide the freshmen by giving them advice on the classes they should start off with for their very first semester. A couple of weeks before classes even begin, we help you move in all of your belongings you felt like you needed to bring with you on your new journey. Our goal is to make you feel welcomed and that you can come to us for any questions concerning you. We want you to become successful bulldogs and look up to us as mentors.

Each of us orientation leaders have unique traits about us that help us to do our jobs. Some of us are outgoing and can strike a new conversation with about any new freshman who comes through the doors on session day. Some of us are quiet and know just what an introverted freshman might need. Some of us are involved with athletics and can give some advice on how other freshman athletes should set up their classes accordingly. No matter what your need is, our team is diverse enough to be able to relate to you and your new experience of being a freshman.

There are some things that you, as freshmen, do for us, as well. New questions arise every year and, thus, new challenges. We get to see new faces become great friends with fellow classmates in your freshman orientation classes. Some of you even pursue becoming an orientation leader yourself. We grow as a team through your experiences. We hope you appreciate us for what we do and that we have done our jobs in creating a successful well-rounded bulldog.