So I went to Orientation...now what?!

This summer has been absolutely amazing! I got to spend a second summer in Bloomington with some of the greatest people at IU working with New Student Orientation! It's seriously the best job around. It made me very happy seeing all of the new students come through with their families. Most people were very excited to be there but some were still a little bit nervous. I think we did a great job of helping everyone get more comfortable with what will become their new home. Here is a picture of all the orientation leaders! Maybe you recognize your's!

Orientation is the first step to becoming an IU Hoosier, but it doesn't stop there! One of the reasons why I chose to come to IU was because of how large the school was and I figured that meant there were a lot of things to do and ways to get involved...I was right!

Some of the best advice I can give anyone coming to a new school for the first time is to go out and DO THINGS! Don't just sit in your room all day waiting for people to come to you. You may meet a few people that way, like your RA (because we're really nice and like to visit you) and maybe a neighbor or two on your floor but some of my best friends are people I met because I left my room and went out and did stuff! Because I love you all and want you to have a great experience just like I did, I've made a list of some next steps to take after orientation. This is great stuff to check out if you will be new to IU in the fall and for anyone who is considering IU for the future, this is a little taste of what you have to look forward to!

If you are worried about how to get involved on campus then I would definitely check out the event that has "student involvement" right there in the name! Tons of student organizations will be out and about on September 3 in Dunn Meadow to tell you what their group has to offer and how you can be a part of it! There is a lot of free stuff to give away too. I would recommend signing up for as much as you can. They will email you with more information about their organization and then you can decide from there what things you really want to commit to. So definitely check this out between 11:00am and 2:30pm on September 3rd in Dunn Meadow! (And be sure to come by the WeAreIU.com table if you are interested in being a student blogger!)

Most new students will be moving in on Wednesday August 21 and those 5 days before classes start are full of fun/free/festive/fascinating/fetch/flashy/fresh events that you can go to! (Notice how I made "fetch" happen...?) There are so many things to do that week that if you are bored, you are doing something wrong. When you move into the residence halls, you will be given a booklet that tells you all about these events, so get your friends (or soon-to-be-friends) together and have fun! This is a picture of some of the people from my floor right before we went to Traditions and Spirit!

This jobs fair will happen during Welcome Week. If you are looking for work while you are here at IU you'll want to make it to this event! I filled out about 10 applications right on spot when I went and got several calls back. I ended up taking a job with rec sports as an intramural volleyball official. There are so many opportunities for you to work at IU, you just need to know where to look! The Jobs Fair is a great place to start!

4. IU vs. Indiana State

This is the first IU Football game! It's a night game too which for some reason is so much more fun! We're supposed to have a pretty good team this year, so make sure you are out there to cheer them on! Frankly, I'm not that into football I love the Marching Hundered! This is the drumline (my favorite part!)

5. What's Next for You at IU?

This is a program put on by The Office of First Year Experience Programs. Last year was the first time they did this but it was a great success! It is designed by students, for students because who would know better how to help other people succeed at IU right?! At this program they will talk about a lot of things that you can do at IU and what should be the next big thing on your radar whether that's Study Abroad or looking for a place to live next year. DEFINITELY check this out!

There are so many things to do once you get here to IU. You just have to be open to all the opportunities that are waiting. A few more tips:

• get to know your professors and get involved in research if you can,
• volunteer in the Bloomington community,
• keep up with The Office of First Year Experience Programs because we have so much stuff going on all the time,
• and lastly, go to your RA's programs and get to know the people on your floor! As an RA, I know how tough it can be sometimes for students who are new to campus and the college environment, but that is why we are here! We want to help you all! Below is a picture of me making "breakfast for dinner" for my floor last year! See how much we care?! :) Anway, I wish all of you the best of luck as you begin your time here at IU. Have fun and study hard! And if you need anything, just let me know!