Yellow never looked so good

A silence has settled over the W&M campus. Anticipation is building, parking spots are abundant and checkout at Wawa is happening at record speeds. This lull in the regularly vibrant and bustling campus occurs annually between the end of summer classes and the beginning of orientation training. Summer students retreat to their hometowns in an effort to soak up a responsibility free summer in two weeks, dorms and dinning halls close, even the gym has been totally cleared out for cleaning. The entire campus is in quiet preparation, everyone fulfilling their duties, which will eventually culminate in a pristine campus, ripe for the beginning of William and Mary’s 318th year.

This silence can only mean one thing….

Orientation is-a-comin’. And nothing brings a smile to my face like orientation. So you might be thinking, “Emily you just finished an intensive 8 week internship that solely revolved around our school, don’t you want a break?” my response: “we must not have met before.” Orientation is my jam. This is my 3rd year of orientation – a 5 day long transition process for incoming freshman and transfers, where each pair of orientation aides (OA) is given a hall and charged with facilitating this process. My definition of Orientation would probably go a bit more like this: 5 day long summer camp where meals are free, names games competitive, and the yellow shirts…well the yellow shirts are just empowering. My yellow shirt does for me what I would assume Batman’s cape or Spiderman’s skin tight (yet masculine) jumpsuit did for him. It makes me want to get every incoming freshman amped up for the next four years of their life. Not in a superficial- lets smile really hard and clap a lot -kind of way, but a substantial, and genuine – you seriously don’t understand what the next four years has in store for you – kind of way. And yes, while just the idea of incoming freshman makes the fact that I am a senior unmistakably real, I know that those crisp creased new yellow t-shirts will help soften the blow.

There are a couple things about orientation that they don’t teach you during training. You are going to sweat, you are going to lose your voice and you are going to be tired, oh so tired. Do not be mistaken; orientation is a marathon not a sprint that will test your spirit, physical strength and knowledge. But when all is said and done, your co-OA(s) is a new best friend, you have given all you can to your beloved hall, which by the way you will consider your offspring, and you will know that W&M is really a better place, because you gave the most important thing you can, your time.