Things I Learned At Tulane Orientation That Are Actually Useful
During Tulane orientation, a lot of information comes at you at once. But here, I’ll break down 10 things I learned at Tulane orientation that are actually useful.
1. You actually need to get your situation together about hurricanes.
Hurricanes are the real deal in New Orleans. Tulane has only evacuated twice in the last ten years, but one of those was for Katrina, which was really bad. The Tulane Police Department decides three days before the hurricane is supposed to hit NOLA if they’re going to mandate a campus evacuation or not. If you don’t have a plan to get yourself out of the city, they load you on a bus, drive that bus to The University of Alabama, and invite you to sleep on a gym floor there until the hurricane goes away. That is not what you want – trust me – so have an evacuation plan just in case.
2. Tulane wants you to be healthy and happy.
Tulane offers so many free services to keep you at your best. You can sign up for 12 free counseling sessions per semester from a licensed psychologist, you can apply for a success coach to help you balance school and life, you can get free birth control and STD testing from theWELL, and you have access to an amazing state of the art fitness center. Take advantage of the resources the university provides to keep you feeling right.
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3. Tulane wants to keep you safe.
Through apps like TapRide and Rave Guardian, Tulane PD is able to help you have the safest and most fun college experience you can. TapRide is a service that will pick you up from anywhere around campus and drive you home if you feel unsafe. Rave Guardian allows you to input that you’re walking somewhere alone and how long it will take you to get there. If you don’t arrive by that time or tell the app otherwise, Tulane PD will be alerted. You can even put in what you’re wearing. New Orleans has some pretty high crime rates, and keeping you safe and sound is very important to the university.
4. You have tons of employment opportunities.
Tulane employs students in its admissions office, residence halls, Academic Success Center, recreation center, library, and basically every other office on campus. Freshmen are highly encouraged to seek employment within the university. There’s even a job fair at the beginning of September!
5. The dean wants to give you free food and coffee.
Every Friday, Dean James MacLaren invites everyone at Tulane to come to Cudd Hall for socializing and free coffee and doughnuts. It’s just another lagniappe (a little something extra) tradition that makes Tulane special.
6. At Tulane orientation, I found out there are a gazillion ways to get involved.
There are over 150 student organizations at Tulane, and there’s really something for whatever your thing is. There is an activities expo on September 1, so make sure to check it out. If you don’t want to join a club, the university puts on lectures, movie nights, concerts, comedy shows, and plenty of other events you can get involved in with no commitment whatsoever!
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7. If you want to study abroad, you should start preparing now.
In order to meet language requirements and GPA requirements, people who plan to study abroad their junior year need to begin working towards it their freshman year. It also helps to start attending information sessions and planning it out. This way, you’ll still be able to meet your major requirements while traveling.
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8. The Wi-Fi works everywhere.
Yahoo’s co-founder, David Filo, is a Tulane graduate. After Katrina, he wanted to give something back to the university, so he installed one of the first campus wide Wi-Fi systems. It even works on the quads and in non-academic buildings.
9. Athletic events are free for students.
I come from an SEC college town, where people camp out for football and basketball tickets, so you can imagine my surprise when I found out I would be able to go to football games for free this fall.
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10. Gumby is not the mascot.
The Tulane mascot is actually Riptide the Pelican, but you’ll hardly see him in gear or hear him referred to. Gumby the Green Wave is much more universally acknowledged and beloved by students and fans. Roll Wave!
 What other information did you find useful at Tulane orientation? Comment below!
This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own!
Featured Image: weheartit
