What Exactly Happens At Freshman Orientation At Mizzou
Summer Welcome Orientation, a time to get to know the University of Missouri as a home, not just a college campus. This two day event takes you through the ins and outs of social life, academic success, traditions, and so much more. Although this event is super exciting, it can be a little intimidating going to orientation. So here you can find out exactly what happens at freshman orientation at Mizzou.
As an out of state student I headed to Mizzou the day before my summer welcome session began. This allowed me to spend an extra night in the dorms and explore without the campus being incredibly crowded. So, if you have a long drive to Mizzou I certainly recommend going the day before your session and spending the night in the dorms!
The first day of summer welcome is an early one! Check in starts at 7:30am. This is where you’ll turn in any necessary forms and complete any summer welcome payments that are outstanding. For a list of What to Bring Items head to the University of Missouri Summer Welcome page for all the important things you need to bring to be sure you’re well prepared for orientation.
Once checked in you’ll head to breakfast in the Rollins dining hall. I certainly recommend buying the summer welcome meal package ahead of time so you can skip the line and head straight into the dining room. Once your appetite is satisfied you and your group will learn a bit about the summer welcome schedule then break into summer welcome small groups.
You will meet with your small groups 3 times during you summer welcome session. The first group meeting will be a “get to know” session where you’ll play fun ice breaker games and learn more about your group members. The second session will be a more serious time to talk about the social life of Mizzou. Finally, the third session you’ll get to explore some of Mizzou’s greatest traditions such as riding the tiger and chanting “I love Mizzou” three times in speakers circle. The small groups will be super beneficial and one of the highlights at Summer Welcome.
College orientation wouldn’t be complete without lectures. These lectures however are informative, fun, and important. Some of the speeches include learning about reslife, finances, a professors perspective, and staying safe of campus. Near the end of the lectures, you will also get the opportunity to split into your specified major department and learn your academic advisor time, and the necessary courses needed to get you on the right track of your college career.
Another way Mizzou helps you get on the right path to success is the Mizzou fair. During lunch you can head to the Mizzou fair to meet people from different clubs, organizations, or speak to people about jobs, academics and safety.
All of this serious talk leads up to the two most exciting parts of the day. The spirit rally and revue were my highlights of summer welcome. During the spirit rally you will hear the fight song and alma mater. This helps you connect to Mizzou as a student rather than a prospect. The final scheduled activity during summer welcome is Revue. This is truly saving the best for last! The summer welcome leaders that you’ve connected with throughout your session put on a show for you and your guests filled with dancing, comedy, and heartfelt skits. I took so much away from revue and the spirit rally and that was the moment I felt like a true Mizzou Tiger.
After the day is done the students head back to the dorms to end the night with a pizza dance party! This allows the students to get to know one another and make friends before coming to campus in the fall. Of course, Shakespeare’s pizza makes it even better!
Day two of Summer Welcome is all about preparing for the upcoming year. This is when you have the opportunity to get your ID, get your computer set up, sign up for early bird textbooks, and go to your academic advisor session.
The academic advisor session is of course the most important. You’ll meet with an advisor and set up a schedule that works best for you and your future plans. Make sure you plan out about 90 minutes for this session as it can take a bit of time. Then head over to get your laptop set up, sign up for early bird textbooks, and get your Student ID which only takes about half an hour. Day two of Summer Welcome goes by super quickly so take time to explore campus, get some Mizzou merch at the Mizzou store, and eat tiger stripe ice cream at Buck’s!
Summer Welcome is a great opportunity to meet friends and make yourself aware of what’s next to come. It’s only two days but there’s a lot of information so don’t get overwhelmed and be sure to make the best of your summer welcome orientation experience!
