How To Get The Best Out Of Your University’s New Student Orientation
Your first year of university can be a daunting experience, but your university’s new student orientation is a great way to get you settled in and ease any concerns you may have. It’s also an opportunity to meet new people and jump right into uni life. So here are our tips on how to get the most out of university orientation!
Go to your faculty’s welcome session
Whether you’re a commerce, science or arts students, your faculty is very likely to hold their own information session separate to general ones. This may not seem like the most fun thing you could be doing during orientation, but definitely check it out and even write some stuff down because it’s all information that you need.
Take a campus tour
Even if you went to a large high school, a university campus will be on a whole other level! So definitely take a campus tour during new student orientation. Not only will a tour help you find where your classes are, but because tours are usually given by students they can give you great tips like where to find the best coffee on campus or where the quiet study spaces are.
Join clubs and societies
Making friends at university can seem quite challenging, so joining a club or society is a great way to ease any worries you may have. You’ll get to meet like-minded people with similar interests as you, explore your passions, develop new skills and feel included within a community. Check out the stalls around campus during new student orientation for information. And don’t be afraid to go up and ask questions, the students running the stalls are all super friendly!
Sort out the admin side of things
Ok so this is another boring one, but trust me you will want to have your student ID, timetable and other admin things sorted once classes start. Issues with enrolment can be a real headache so try to get it sorted out as soon as possible. Know where your faculty’s office is because it is likely you’ll be in there a lot during your degree!
Check out your university’s student services
Universities offer many services for their students such as counselling, medical help, international student support, legal advice, financial advice and more. During new student orientation, find out what your university can do for you so you know where to turn to if you are ever in need of help.
Attend information sessions
During new student orientation, there will be plenty of information sessions about referencing, research skills, essay writing, presentation skills and more. By getting on top of these things at orientation you’ll save yourself a lot of stress later in the semester. Especially because these kind of information sessions are typically only run during orientation week. And remember to ask questions, these sessions are there to help you!
Take advantage of all the freebies
Freebies, goodie bags, discounts… they’re all up for grabs during orientation week! You’ll find water bottles, tote bags, USBs, stationary plus there is usually free live music events and food. Don’t be afraid to make the most out of all the freebies and grab as much as you can!
Be open minded
Remember to keep an open mind. There will be lots of opportunities during new student orientation to get involved with your university, so put yourself out there and don’t be afraid to say yes. You will only get the best out of your orientation week if you open yourself to new experiences.
