Orientation: A View from the Other Side

Being an Orientation Aide was far more exhausting than I ever imagined it would be. By the end of it, I had no voice, was averaging five hours of sleep, hadn’t unpacked my room yet, and was on crutches (I was a little enthusiastic jumping around during cheers and ended up with tendonitis in my Achilles tendon). Granted, this seems a little extreme. But I’m not alone- I can’t think of a single OA who didn’t pour their heart and soul into Orientation.

It was worth it. Being an OA was one of the most rewarding experiences of my college experience so far.

On the surface, being an OA is about introducing freshman to the campus. You take them on tours, help them pick up their books, and lead discussions on making choices now that they’re on their own. But really, being an OA is about so much more than the student handbook or course registration. It’s a chance to reassure the freshman that things will be okay. College won’t always be a walk in the park- between Biology midterms, caffeine crashes and homesickness, there will be challenges. But none of those things matter. Because at the end of the day, you are a member of the Tribe.

And that mean having a family to support you.

I think that’s why I wanted so badly to be an OA. My freshman year definitely had its ups and downs. But I had such an amazing support system of friends and professors that were there to cheer me on during the triumphs and cry with me during the failures. As a nervous freshman standing outside of DuPont during move in day, I could have never imagined I would have found such an amazing family at W&M. An OA’s true job is to show freshman that finding that family is not just a possibility, it’s a reality. As an OA, you are a teacher, a peer, a friend, and a brother. You serve as freshmen’s first impression of the Tribe. You serve as the start of their William & Mary family, and are there to help them navigate the craziness that is Orientation. That’s a pretty big responsibility, but so incredibly rewarding.

This year, I was one of the OAs for 3rd East in DuPont, one of the largest freshmen dorms. I was beyond excited to watch my girls learn the campus, make friends on the hall, and become more and more outgoing. I can’t wait to watch them thrive throughout the rest of their year. I hope I made their transition into college at least a little bit easier. Hopefully, in turn, they will continue to support each other and feel apart of this Tribe family.