Bright Yellow

It’s Friday, everyone! Get excited. This weekend is going to be pretty relaxing but also filled with various birthday celebrations that I’m definitely looking forward to. I’m looking at my calendar right now, and I can’t believe how quickly this month is going by. Literally one month from tomorrow, I’ll be moving back into my fraternity house and starting Orientation Aide training.

At William & Mary, Orientation occurs literally right after you move in as a freshman. I like that so much better than doing a summer program, because here you go throught Orientation with your entire freshman hall that you’ll be with all year and also two or three yellow-shirted Orientation Aides (OAs). You go to different information sessions about subjects such as Sex and Alcohol, Community Standards, and Diversity. You also do various mixers with other freshman halls so that you are not only getting to know your hallmates but other incoming freshman. On the first day of class, I already knew how to get to my class (since I had been walking around campus the past five days) and I already saw familiar faces either from my hall or someone I had met during Orientation. I personally felt very welcomed and prepared to start my time here at the College.

Even though it is not a paid positing, being an OA is actually one of the most competitive things on campus to get, because so many students are excited to put on that yellow shirt and welcome new students to W&M. Last year, I was a Program and Family Orientation Aide, so I got to do information sessions with parents and act in a few of the programs that freshman had to attend. I had a blast doing that, but I’m REALLY excited to be a Freshman OA this year. I’m not exactly sure where yet, but my co-OA and I will be assigned a freshman hall in the Botetourt Complex. I had fantastic OAs my freshman year, and I’m excited to give these incoming students the same kind of warm welcome.