Hello everyone!
Today I wanted to share with you all my own story of my own New Student Orientation.
I went through Orientation in June of 2019. This was when the Orientation program was a 2 day event. We even had to sleep over. I remember how uncomfortable I slept. I still remember my Orientation leader and how much I enjoyed my first real experience at Westfield with her. Her name was Alex, she was a nursing major and I remember we connected because she went to middle school with my older sister.
Now, for me, I was extremely nervous to come into New Student Orientation because at this time, I had not made any friends yet, I had graduated high school weeks before. I am a very extroverted person, and I am the type of person that does not have an inside voice. I am loud, but it comes in very handy when working in this job. I am a very people oriented person, but when it comes to new situations, sometimes it takes me a minute to adjust.
One of my first friends that I made was someone that was in my group for Orientation. We are still friends to this day. It was a huge relief for me to have been able to make a friend quickly, and then once I warmed up to her, I was able to really come out of my shell. I preach this to every Champion; your student needs to be comfortable being uncomfortable. I was so uncomfortable during my Orientation because there were hundreds of students there with me, and I knew no one. As soon as I was able to make one friend, I was instantly more comfortable. It might take your student a little bit, but once they are able to find people that they can really connect with, they will begin the best part of college. The friendships I made when first coming to college are the people I consider my closest friends. I met my two best friends on move in day and I have never looked back.
I had a very positive experience with New Student Orientation, and that is what made me want to become an Orientation Leader. I remember wanting to be a part of the program while I was going through it. I saw how all of the Orientation Leaders looked like a family, it was easy to see how close they all were. But most importantly, I saw that they were all having fun. That was what I wanted, a job that could be fun. Even if they were working over 12 hours a day, they all still managed to have a smile on their faces and make my experience amazing. My goal was to be able to do that for someone else.
Spring semester of my first year was 2020, and I got sent home for the remainder of the semester after spring break. I did not step foot back on this campus until May of 2021 when I was moving in as an Orientation Leader. My entire sophomore year of college was online. It was so incredibly challenging, but the worst was not being able to see people. After making all of these new friends my first year, I had to go over a year without seeing them all. It was so hard. I couldn’t even imagine how students in high school felt, especially knowing how my own experience with a pandemic was. After being at home for so long, I wanted to get back on campus, I wanted to return to my home away from home. So, I applied to become an Orientation Leader. I was accepted as an Orientation Leader for the Champions program, and I was so excited to be able to see people again.
When I saw the Orientation Leaders during my own Orientation, and saw how close they all were together, my goal was to be a part of something that was that close knit. I can proudly say that when Orientation last year ended, and we all had to move home at the end of July, I sobbed. I was hysterically crying while having to say goodbye to the friends I had made. The other Orientation leaders I worked with became my family. I was able to be a part of something that made me feel just like I wanted to. Even after working 12 hour days, I was still able to put a smile on my face and give incoming students the Orientation experience that they deserved.
I have had such a positive experience with Westfield State’s New Student Orientation Program. I brag that I have had the privilege of being a part of this fantastic program. I am so beyond excited to be doing it again. I think my one regret was that I did not get involved with this program soon enough. I wish I started working with NSO earlier then I did. I think what I am scared most about graduating next year, is that I will have to leave this program. I will have to say goodbye to one of the best experiences of my life.
I hope that we as a staff can make all of your students have as positive of an experience as I did with NSO, I hope we can get every single one of them to want to become an Orientation Leader because of their own experience.
On move-in day last year, students Champions would walk up to me and say “I remember you from Orientation!” This had to be my favorite part of the job, when they would tell me how I was able to help them in some capacity with the adjustment of their student going off to college. I am so excited that I get to be able to do that again, and I hope I am able to help you all with this new chapter in your students lives.
-Lindsey
Student Coordinator of the Champions Network