10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went To Orientation At American University

Orientation at American University is for two days and offers a glimpse of college life. Although it may be nerve-wracking when you first arrive, it gets better along the way! By the time you realize, you will be making so many new friends and memories. Before I arrived at orientation, I (along with many of my fellow peers) was nervous to come. However, I did wish I knew what to expect before I came so I was well prepared. Here are 10 things I wish I knew before I went to orientation (aka Eagle Summit) at American University!

1. You will experience mid-Atlantic humidity.

If you are not familiar with the D.C. area, summers can be hot and humid. So, be sure you are well-dressed because the humidity in D.C. can be pretty awful. For most of my orientation, I was outside on the lawn with my orientation group. This time, do not dress to impress; just dress to fight the darn humidity.

2. There will be a lot of walking.

Although there will be a plethora of presentations throughout the day, there will also be walking around campus. You will be going across campus to reach presentations and walking up and down stairs to reach where you need to be. The awful D.C. humidity made walking more tiring (hint hint number one). So, make sure you wear the right shoes!

3. Pay attention during presentations.

Okay, here’s the boring part. There will be so many presentations at orientation. In fact, you will want to sleep through each of them. As boring as some may be, it is important that you pay close attention to each one because each presentation provides you tips, advice, and information to student life at AU. The presenters do their best to make their presentations as exciting as possible, but it is up to you to pay attention because each presentation is here to help you this fall.

4. Bring extra towels or blankets.

The housing staff tries their best to accommodate each student with the basic essentials for their stay. They provide you a clean towel, sheets, and blankets. In case this does not suffice your needs, bring extra towels or an extra blanket in case it gets cold in your dorm. Bring essentials that you might need for the stay/orientation. However, remember that it is only one night and you do not need to bring a large suitcase for all your stuff. You will survive for 2 days. I promise!!

5. Be prepared for icebreakers!

Don’t we all love icebreakers? Be prepared for how crazy these can get! It will be awkward during the first few hours of orientation. However, your Orientation Leaders will do icebreakers with your group to calm your nerves and make you comfortable with the people in your group. Although they can do their best to calm your nerves, it is up to you that you step out of your comfort zone and start talking to new people in your group.

6. Don’t be shy and go to First Night Activities.

First night activities can vary for each orientation. For my orientation, the Orientation Leaders set up a karaoke-ish dance party. The dance party was lit. This is a time for you to meet new people and have a good time. I was pretty nervous going to the First Night Activities, but everyone was welcoming that I became glad I went to First Night Activities. I also got to meet people who were outside of my orientation group, which was pretty cool. I have to say, activities like this made me ecstatic for move-in day to arrive.

7. Make use of the free time given to you.

The free time you have will be VERY limited. Savor each minute. Seize any amount of free time given to you so that you can bond with other students. Step out of your comfort zone and talk to people!

8. Ask questions!

If AU is gonna be your home for the next couple years or so, you might as well ask questions!! During my time at orientation, I was a bit afraid of asking questions in a large group setting with people I barely knew. Because of this, I decided to meet up with my Orientation Leader on my own and ask her questions that I wanted answers to. As orientation went on, I began to ask questions in a large group setting. Whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, just ask questions!

9. Make use of the AU Community Showcase.

Or in other words, go to the AU Community Showcase for FREE STUFF. The showcase is an opportunity to meet representatives from various university offices, clubs, and vendors. It’s kind of like a taste of AU. Although every club or activity will not be in attendance, there will be enough vendors where you can see what your life at AU could be like. My advice for you is that you go to every booth at the showcase because you never know what might interest you (or give free stuff!).

10. You will be counting the days til move-in day.

You will make so many new friends (who you also got as Instagram followers) that you will now be counting the days until move-in day so that you can make more memories with them!

Do you have any other tips for freshman orientation at American University!? Share in the comments below!

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