Brittany Wagner
Perspectives Assistant
As I watched hoards of confident, carefree freshmen pile into the Elkins Auditorium, my stomach did a flip. Taking a deep breath, I headed though the double doors. It was the first day back from winter break and it seemed like everyone except me knew what was happening.
It was Thursday, Jan. 4, along with more than 100 other transfer students and incoming freshmen, that I experienced a New Student Orientation.
The first day consisted of moving into the dormitories. Some students were paired with other transfers and incoming freshmen, but others, like me, moved into already occupied rooms and met roommates who had been living there for at least a semester already.
For most, the informational sessions covering topics such as technology, academic integrity and university involvement seemed a little dull. Half of the incoming class transferred from other schools and had already been through a fall orientation previously; they knew the drill.
But for others, two days of spring orientation hardly helped the transition into Pepperdine life, “NSO was overwhelming; I didn’t even attend my last new student orientation at the University of South Carolina and I felt more confident there on my first day,” said transfer freshman Harry Lengsfield.
The orientation consisted of a meeting with freshmen seminar professors, scavenger hunts, bonding time with parents, coffee in the HAWC, convocation and an excursion to Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade.
“I think it was cool that we got to take a van to the Promenade; it was more personal. I got to spend some time with really fun people,” said transfer junior Kelsey Klein.
After orientation, the students had two days before they would attend first classes and meet their new suitemates and in some cases, roommates. The days were spent in a variety of ways. While some visited class rooms and figured out their daily routines, others explored the different aspects of life as a Pepperdine student: a day at the beach, walking in Venice, Malibu Creek shopping and eateries, and of course, Malibu Yogurt and Ralph’s.
“It was nice to have time to get my stuff together and explore, but it was so nerve-wracking not knowing what it would be like to have the whole student body back on campus,” said incoming freshman Phillip Muhr.
At first, after only two days of taking in information and getting adjusted to college life, I thought perhaps I had made a mistake and that I should have waited until the fall semester to start school and make a group of friends with next year’s freshmen.
But now, after a week at Pepperdine, I realize that becoming a spring semester incoming freshman was the best decision I ever made. Not only am I surrounded by people who have already experienced a semester of college and can fill me in on any questions or concerns I have, but I can figure out how things work and get an idea of what clubs and activities I want to join without jumping right into them. NSO was informative, but the knowledge and advice of my peers has helped make the transition between high school and college far easier than any orientation could.
Although, most freshmen and transfer students who experienced the four-day orientation in the fall would say that spring semester transfers get ripped off and that the fall semester orientation is more fun, I believe we get the better end of the deal.
Not only did we have the opportunity to bond with a smaller group of people, but we now have the advice of our suitemates and new class friends to guide us in the direction of success.
01-18-2007
