O-Team’s Guide to Orientation and Beyond
August 15, 2018
A freshman’s first few weeks on campus are filled with useful advice from parents, professors, and staff members. But, some of the best advice comes from current students who remember well the hectic, nerve-wracking, and exciting experience of being a freshman. Here, three Orientation team members share their advice for making the most of your first year at Fisher.
Don’t be too cool for school. Or, as student orientation coordinator Molly Zies ’19 puts it, be an active participant in Orientation programs.
“The more events you attend the more connections and friends you can make,” she says.
The senior recalls one of her favorite ice breakers from her Orientation, “Play Fair,” which requires participants to create a secret handshake with a stranger. What she didn’t realize at the time was that it was also creating a lifelong friend.
“Four years later that ‘stranger’ and I still have that handshake, and are good friends,” she said.
Yilmaz Ates ’19 encourages new students to get involved on campus. A nursing major, Ates is a First Generation Scholar who is heavily involved in service work in the Rochester community. This past May, he was a Jamaican Advantage thru Sports for Youth teammate, volunteering for a week-long sports camp on the Caribbean island. It’s no surprise that his first piece of advice is to get out and about.
“Venture from your residence halls,” he says, noting that Orientation activities are designed to help students engage with one another, familiarize them with campus, and have a little bit of fun along the way. “You will truly bond with other students, and probably share some laughs, too.”
Once Orientation has concluded and classes begin, junior Ranita Williams ’20 says students can expect an engaging and exciting year ahead. As president of the Class of 2020 and the recruitment and retention leader for the Commuter Council, Williams says structure and schedule are key to balancing all of the activities and coursework that comes with the college experience.
“If you have a set time of waking up and going to sleep every day, your body and brain will be able to function at max capacity,” she explains.
And when students might need a little extra help, she recommends visiting professors during their office hours. “At Fisher, professors and staff are friendly people and are ready to help during your time here.”
Ates agrees.
“Join at least one club, try at least one thing you may not normally do, and study! You’re a student first, after all,” he adds.