It's That Time of Year...

Orientation time, that is. I just thought I'd repost the advice from last year and add some more.

For both Transfer and Freshman Orientation:

- Check the weather as you pack. Summer in Blacksburg is slightly bi-polar, though it's generally hot. Hot and humid, hot and dry, hot and windy, etc. So unless you have to wear pants or a long skirt for religious reasons, I would advise wearing shorts and a T-shirt, as well as comfortable walking shoes. It's looking to be in the high 80s and sunny for Transfer Orientation.

- That being said, bring an umbrella. Rain in Blacksburg tends to come quickly and with little warning aside from a thunderclap, even if the forecast is promising sunny skies. If you have one that can fold up and be shoved in a backpack or purse, bring that.

- Your head must be uncovered for your Hokie Passport photo (religious head coverings being the exception), and long hair must be loose. Feel free to tie it up once your photo's been taken, however. Be sure to also bring a photo ID (driver's license, ID from a previous college, etc) to your passport session.

- Make sure you have your two wallet-sized photos, and write your name and ID number on the back of each.

- You'll want to bring a sweatshirt or long-sleeve shirt with you. McBryde 100 is cold, as are Squires (freshmen) and the GLC (transfers), and some of the academic buildings where your department sessions are held are also routinely kept about as warm as your refrigerator (the building where Chem majors meet is especially notorious for this).

- Bring copies of anything that needed to be sent to VT (transcripts/grade reports, AP scores, etc) on the off chance that the college hasn't received it from Admissions. (Especially transfers) Spring 09 transcripts haven't all come in yet, so some transfers and freshmen with dual enrollment still have courses listed as "in progress".

For Transfer Orientation:

- If you weren't offered a spot in on-campus housing, you'll probably be spending some time during Orientation trying to find an apartment. The Collegiate Times (CT) and the Off-Campus Housing office both have listings for people looking to sublet or in need of additional roommates. For the Off-Campus Housing site, you'll need to register. You can visit the office as well, in Squires Student Center. The office will also provide you with a list of all the complexes in Blacksburg.

- Everyone comes in with a different amount of credit and classes fulfilled for his/her major, so department sessions can get long. Be patient, you will be helped.

For Freshmen Orientation:

- Get a good amount of sleep the night before. You'll be up late the night of Day 1 and have to be up early for college sessions and advising on Day 2. Breakfast on Day 2 starts at 6:30 AM. I speak from experience; sessions on Day 1 don't end until nearly midnight and I didn't go to bed until nearly 2 AM. I felt dead the next morning.

- You don't need a suitcase for your overnight in the dorm. All you need is a backpack or a small duffel. In it, you will need: something comfortable to sleep in (I vote T-shirt and gym shorts, as Slusher is not air-conditioned), the essentials for hygiene, and a T-shirt, shorts, and sweatshirt for the next day. Additionally, you'll have to carry this around on Day 1 due to minimal parking at Slusher, so keep it light. Bring a small window or personal fan as well.

- Your schedules will be batched out soon. Depending on how much AP/IB/dual-enrollment credit Tech has received for you, you may not need to make any changes, or you may need to sign up for a class to fill the time normally taken up by MATH 1205 or English. If you don't need to make changes*, you can meet up with your parents as soon as you get your schedule. Otherwise, an advisor will help you create your schedule.

* by "need to make changes," I mean you have credit for English and therefore don't need the class, or have only been assigned Physical Geology because you've got credit for everything. An 8 AM Econ class when you aren't a morning person does not count.

After Orientation:

- DO NOT CHANGE YOUR SCHEDULE!!! Some classes (ex: Chem Lab) are in such high demand that some of us are watching drop-add around the clock for an open section. If you drop it in hopes of adding one at a different time, you may never get it back.

- Don't give your parents your password (sorry parents). Every year we get a few calls because Mom or Dad has dropped Hokie's Math/Sociology/whatever class and now it's full. If your parents want to see your grades and records, and you're okay with that, fill out the FERPA release on Hokie Spa. Make the passcode something easy to remember, like their wedding anniversary or whatever.

- If you're going to get your textbooks from the On-Campus Bookstore/Volume Two or the Tech Bookstore, reserve them in advance. This will save you time at book rush. You can also compare prices on Half.com, Amazon, or where ever. If you do this, be sure you buy the correct edition of the book.

- You will have an additional information on the afternoon of Sunday, August 23rd. Attendance is mandatory, as topics relating to academic eligibility, the honor code, and other academic issues will be covered.

At Orientation, you'll be issued a Course of Study Planner and some post-it notes to use with it. Feel free to play around with it, looking at what's offered for Core Courses and free electives. Most majors have an Orientation course that you'll have to take in your first semester at Tech, and during these courses you'll have to create a four year plan, so this is a good way to get an idea of what's offered.

See you all at Orientation!

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.

The Guide is on Twitter!

Hey all you Twitter fans! Post notifications will be posted on Twitter, as well as other news as the College of Science prepares for Summer Orientation. Our Twitter also provides links to other Tweeters, such as VT SGA, Hokie Camp, Orientation, and Virginia Tech news, so check us out!