<p>Before we knew the schedule she and her sister had tickets for a special event the same weekend as orientation, big sis got a replacement buddy to go, but tonight that person flaked out. Sis is desperately looking for some one to join her and DD is bemoaning the fact that she cannot go.</p>
<p>If she were to miss the two days of new student orientation and arrive at the same time as returning students how big a deal would that be at an LAC- at big flagships I would not think it any big deal, as you may or may not ever see those people again, but have no LAC experience.</p>
<p>somemom, at some schools friendships and cliques can form quickly-- so missing those activities can leave the student feeling left out from the beginning.</p>
<p>My daughter purposely skipped orientation activities at her college – she was hanging out and socializing with other friends at another school – and she had a very rough time socially her first year. She is a very outgoing person who always has a lot of friends – that was part of the problem, she just didn’t feel like she needed the type of hokey get-togethers arranged by the school – but it was a mistake (though I’m not sure she admits it – she still avoids most organized social activities). </p>
<p>It probably depends a lot on the school and the particular attitudes and social structure. So I wouldn’t say that there is one answer that would apply in all contexts. But if it were my daughter, I’d push her to go to orientation. My d. very seriously considered transferring because of a perceived social misfit, which may have been no more than a bad fit with the others on her floor.</p>
<p>When I saw the three U.S. women sabrists on TV, who had just swept the individual Olympic medals in their sport, and who were about to win the team gold, they were talking about how great it was to be in Beijing, and how they looked forward to just being tourists/spectators after their team meet. But one of them was about to start college, and she was going to leave to go to her orientation.</p>
<p>People don’t skip orientation. It may be hokey, and partially unnecessary, but it tends to have been planned by intelligent people, and tends to work. Why would you turn your nose up at it?</p>
<p>Orientation is not just about making new friends and getting comfortable in a new environment.</p>
<p>It’s also about academics. There will be multiple academically oriented meetings and events. At some schools, students register for classes during this time (at others, they may already have done so online). At practically all schools, they meet with their advisors. They take placement tests. They hear about academic policies and procedures and how to plan their curriculum.</p>
<p>I’ll weigh in on the side of Orientation is important. Perhaps not all the activities are “cool,” but most of them are fun, and/or important in terms of orienting new students – which is why it’s called Orientation! Students get the lay of the land, academic advice, and generally figure out what’s going on. Missing that, in this case, doesn’t seem worth it. From your D’s perspective right now, Orientation may not seem like a big deal, but after the fact she may well regret missing it, IMO.</p>
<p>DS#1 went to a small LAC. He was assigned a specific orientation group, not a group of students just from his hall. They did all kinds of activities together and he had a core of friends to start with. I vote that it’s important, even if D doesn’t realize that as it’s happening.</p>
<p>Agree with all of above. Besides the social bonding, and the academic issues, there’s also all kind of dorm activities, meetings, organizational stuff. At my kids’ schools, there were orientation group activities, but also dorm floor activities, so they got to know two groups in organized ways. Orientation is often also where school organizations a student might want to join are introduced–yeah the info can be found later on, but it’s much easier at an organization/club fair when it’s all in one place.</p>
<p>I think big sis should stop putting pressure on little sis and realize that this is just way more important–and little sis should, too. It really sets the tone.</p>
<p>The way I remember social groupings in college everyone “new” is trying to find that person or persons to bond with as soon as possible. Now these may not end up your best friends but they serve a big purpose the first few days when you know zilch folks on campus. If the child was exceptionally self-assured and the type that could make friends just walking through a room maybe I’d consider it. Other than that exception, everyone needs to go. JMO.</p>
<p>S1 missed his orientation because he went the summer right after graduation and his graduation was after the orientation. He got there in time for classes to start but that was it. It was a large U that he was very familiar with, but he had some catching up to do on the other parts of orientation such as dorm procedures, advisers, social networking. It just took a little longer. He did express that he wished he had been able to be there. </p>
<p>Agree big sis should lay off, but if they really want to do it, make her do the work to contact the school and find out what they are doing and what they do for students who do not make it there for orientation. Don’t take over for her, a great way to make her start being responsible for herself and her decisions.</p>
<p>Look, orientation IS often hokey and inefficient. If some life-shattering event occurred, missing it wouldn’t be a big problem. I’m not certain that if I were a medalled athlete at the Olympics, I would cut my stay short so as not to miss a minute of orientation. But being too cool for school isn’t exactly the right attitude to begin college with, and other students would certainly notice if a kid exempted herself from group activities because, essentially, she didn’t feel like it. It’s the wrong message to send others, the wrong message to send yourself, and the wrong message to send your sister – who should never have even considered asking this.</p>
<p>As someone already said–if this were some life-changing event, missing orientation wouldn’t be a big deal. However, it doesn’t sound like the event she’s ditching orientation to attend is that kind of thing. IMO, she’d get more benefit out of going to the orientation.</p>
<p>BTW- big sis is not putting pressure on, she just mentioned that the other person flaked out and asked for ideas to fill that spot, then little sis bemoaned the timing of it all. I would not let her go last year, too young, now she is old enough and the timing is bad.</p>
<p>Some of the session titles during my D’s freshman orientation make me believe attendance is important:</p>
<p>financial aid info
setting up your computer and user support information
tour of libraries and how to use them
security for students
sex (hmmmmm)
immunizations for those who need them (see above)
most important: refrigerator check-out</p>
<p>and, of course, academic counseling and many events promoting social groups and extracurriculars.</p>
<p>I absolutely concur that your d should go to orientation. </p>
<p>and my d attends the same college as Calmom’s, and she did go her first year. And made lasting friendships as a result of attending those events (she has always been one for a good “hokey” event!!).</p>
<p>This only comes along once. The other event your d is considering evidently comes along at least once per year.</p>
<p>How about this perspective: If you could only get to Orientation is by flying first class (+$1000 more than coach, $1250 more than milage card) airfare, would you do so?</p>
<p>Nope, not burning man but thanks for the input, last night it was confusing with so much being considered at once, in the morning it felt more clear and every one’s input was great help in that clarity</p>
but thanks for the input, last night it was confusing with so much being considered at once, in the morning it felt more clear and every one’s input was great help in that clarity</p>