A Note on Behavior

Everything in this entry should go without saying, but it still needs to be said.

When you’re in contact with someone from Virginia Tech, or anywhere really, whether it be through e-mail, on the phone, or in person at Orientation and after, be polite. Be polite almost to a fault.
Everyone at Tech has been working day and night to prepare for Orientation and the arrival of new students. This includes, but is not limited to, creating student files, documenting transfer and AP work, preparing schedules, and setting up presentations.

So take the time to read all the information we’ve provided for you, even if it seems obvious and you’ve heard it a zillion times before. Be patient, as there is a purpose to everything at Orientation.
When you’re meeting with advisors, keep in mind that this is what they do; they are experts. They know the requirements for your major inside and out. If the advisor tells you that you shouldn’t take more than 6 hours of psychology your first semester, listen. We understand that your AP and dual-enrollment was to get ahead, and you are ahead, but college is not high school.

We’ve created batch schedules to make it easier for you as well as us. With a pre-made schedule, you (as an incoming student) don’t have to sit around staring at drop-add waiting for MATH 1205 to open up; you’ve already been given a seat in that class. The schedule may not be ideal, but you’re freshmen, the lowest on the food chain.

You’re going to have early classes or labs. You may have a three-hour evening class that causes you to miss Gray’s Anatomy or American Idol or whatever. Cut your losses and watch the episodes on the channel’s website, it’s just a semester.

But please, do not give attitude to anyone you interact with. It causes you to be labeled as a pain in the you-know-where in the minds of the people who are supposed to help you, and that does not work in your favor with anything.