While some colleges have a quick one-day orientation or even a simple online registration, other colleges have week-long activities ranging from seminars and lectures to outdoor orienteering adventures. The goal of orientation is to make sure students feel at home on campus or, at least, well versed on where to go, whom to talk to, and what the school offers. Orientation is a way to make nervous first-years feel connected to their academic community of students.

I will never forget moving into my dorm during my first year orientation week being completely scared out of my mind. However, at Hollins, meeting people came easy. In fact, we were put into groups of six or seven students with a student advisor, who was a grade or two older than us, to spend the week with. We played ice-breaker games, talked about high school, and spent the days getting to know each other in the August heat. My student advisor, known as a Student Success Leader (SSL), was a quiet sophomore, English major (just like me). She helped my fellow group members put together our schedules, get to our seminars on time, and learn all about Hollins and its academics.

Although orientation went quickly, I never forgot how amazing my SSL was. She went out of her way to stay in contact with all of us first years, even leaving us goodie bags of finger puppets and Hello Kitty stickers. She always made herself available, and I couldn’t have thanked her more. Read More »

It’s been a tough week and I’m sure many of us are ready to stop thinking, talking and hearing about the Virgina Tech shooting and Cho Seung-Hui. But I, along with many other college students nationwide, feel that it’s really necessary to display our continued support and sympathy for at least one more day.

If you haven’t gotten the memo already, tomorrow has been declared “Orange and Maroon Effect Day” and alllll students are being asked to sport Hokie colors. Tons of Facebook groups promoting the orange and maroon-wear have tallied thousands of college kids who promise to don VTech threads Friday.

So whip out some orange and maroon tomorrow. Not only will getting dressed after a Thursday night of drinking be made that much simpler, but you’ll also be making an serious statement.