10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went To Orientation At Michigan State University

There are so many things I wish I knew before going to orientation at Michigan State University. Read these tips for a great orientation and freshman year at MSU!

Orientation. The “pre college” everyone has to experience before going to school in the fall. I had no idea what to expect for orientation at Michigan State University. I didn’t know whether to be scared, or whether to be excited. But it turned out to be one of the best couple days I had all summer. There are a few things I wish I had known going into orientation and here they are.

1. Get there early.

You want to arrive before your roommate does so you can have first pick on which bed you want. Heat RISES. You do not want to be left with the top bunk.

2. Bring a fan!

No matter how weird you may think you’ll look carrying a fan into the dorms, you’re going to regret it if you don’t have one. Lots of people bring them and without it, you’ll find yourself lying awake at 2am because it’s too hot to fall asleep.

3. Don’t over pack.

You’re only there for 1 night and 2 days you do not need anything more then pajamas and an outfit for the next day.

4. Have an idea of what you want to major in.

Really put some thought in what you want to major in because you’ll be making your schedule during orientation. You also will have lots of options on what your schedule will look like regarding times and whether or not you have Friday classes. Make sure you are satisfied with your schedule because you don’t want to be like me the first week of class, trying to switch around your whole schedule.

5. Try and get an orientation date as early as possible.

The earlier you attend orientation, the better chance you have of getting a schedule that you’re happy about. The later you wait to go to orientation, the more classes will fill up and the likelihood of getting 8am’s is higher.

6. Eat A LOT.

You are only fed 3 times and that is all, and we all know how important snacking is. Whenever you get a chance to eat, whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner, stuff you’re face. Dinner was served at 5pm and that was the last thing you could eat until the next morning. So bring snacks, or have money and order pizza late at night.

7. Upload your student ID picture online before orientation.

If you don’t want to look like a sweaty mess on your student ID picture, I suggest you take one before hand and upload it on your MSU student account. You should receive emails regarding uploading a picture before hand, so watch out for them.

8. Save your coupons!

During orientation you’ll be receiving a ton of flyers and coupons, don’t disregard them! They are valuable and you’re going to want them in the fall when you’re begging your parents for a new t-shirt that you just have to have for the next tailgate.

9. Dress appropriately

This is not a fashion show. There is no need to show off your new clothes, because in the long run you’re going to want to be comfortable. You will be walking a lot so if you know the shoes you want to wear give your blisters, I suggest you save them for a different day.

10. Every one is just as scared as you are.

You’re all in the same position so don’t be scared to get yourself out there. I remember telling this girl she had a cool water bottle, and now she is one of my best friends. To this day, we laugh about how we first met at orientation, but if I hadn’t told her she had a cool water bottle, we wouldn’t have ended up such great friends and it would have been a long 2 days at orientation.