Why is Orientation important?
Well let’s imagine you’re going on a road trip to a distant destination. What do you do first? You don’t just get in the car and drive without any preparation. You will probably look up how to get there on Google maps and plug the address into your phone or GPS.
Why do you do this?
Because if you just got in the car and drove without any directions you’re likely to get lost, take a few wrong turns, get stuck in traffic, and take twice as long to get to your destination. We all know the frustration and stress that comes with being lost! If you get directions from Google maps or your GPS, you will get to your destination in the fastest, most efficient way possible. You will likely bypass all the traffic and take fewer wrong turns because the GPS will be by your side, redirecting you as needed.
Orientation is your Google maps and your GPS to college.
You can skip Orientation but it’ll feel a lot like jumping into the car to embark on a road trip without any direction. You can get there but it will be far more confusing, tedious, and time consuming. By attending Orientation, you will receive direction and step-by-step instructions on how to arrive at a successful start to your college career.
Why is Orientation important?
Because you can either arrive at college feeling more confident and relaxed from a smooth drive, or arrive feeling stressed and frustrated from a long, twisty, confusing drive.
I work for Plymouth State University, and to see how we handle Orientation please visit: https://www.plymouth.edu/current-students/for-incoming-students/. You’ll want to make sure that the colleges that you apply to offer comprehensive programs like this.
Hannah Andritsakis ’16 is Plymouth State’s New Student Programming Coordinator. Hannah manages Orientation and Panther Days, a special program of events that helps first-year students get off to a great start. She previously worked in the University’s Admissions Office as a transfer counselor and studied business administration as a PSU student. When Hannah is not on campus, you can find her on her farm tending to sheep.