Incoming Wildcats participate in the “Become the Roar” tradition at last summer’s orientation.
Hello students,
Welcome, Wildcats! My name is Meg, and I am a rising senior majoring in social work with a minor in kinesiology. On campus, I am an INCO (independent credit) research assistant through the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research and was a community educator through SHARPP. For the past two years, I have been involved with New Student Programs and have had the pleasure and joy of welcoming first years and their parents/families to campus. Last year, I was an Orientation Leader and this year I took on more of a leadership role as one of the Orientation Coordinators; specifically, I work on the communication aspects of New Student Programs. I hope to shed some light on orientation here at UNH!
Coming from out of state (Illinois to be exact) I was terrified about the transition to a new environment in a new state. However, my orientation played a huge role in the mindset that I carried with me into college. My orientation allowed me to be introduced to and engaged with the UNH community – from the pride the campus had to the friendly and excited UNH students. Through my orientation, I became more confident and comfortable with my upcoming transition to college life. I learned a ton about the resources available to me and the UNH campus, all of which allowed me to come back for move in more prepared. My UNH orientation set the foundation for my time at UNH, to which I credit my continuous involvement with new students!
This year, you can expect to be placed in small groups with an Orientation Leader (OL) who is a current UNH student. Your OL will lead you through activities and around campus in order to become more familiar with daily life at UNH. In addition, you will work with your respective academic college to learn more about your specific college and be assisted in selection of your Fall 2022 classes!
Now, here are some tips and advice for you prior to attending your orientation session!
- Be open minded! Orientation is your first true taste of college, and you get what you put into it. Let go of high school expectations and truly take in this new environment. It’s clichéd but true: college is a time to be on your own and discover yourself, so embrace your first real experience at UNH.
- Remember that everyone is going through the same new experience as you. The peers in your group are equally as nervous, so don’t be afraid to mingle with the people in your group. It’s an easy way to meet peers who may be in the same school, or even just a nice way to have friendly faces you recognize around campus your first week at UNH. Be outgoing, brave and kind!
- Ask any and all questions! Your OLs are eager to answer all your UNH specific questions and can speak from their own experiences. There’s no such thing as too many questions! During the part of orientation called “My First Year,” you have the opportunity to ask your OLs questions – either out loud or anonymously. It’s a great opportunity to ease your nerves and prepare for your upcoming year.
By participating in orientation, you will learn about UNH – from the campus to the student culture and so much more – and find your place here. Orientation helped re-enforce the many reasons I chose UNH, and I am grateful for the experience.
I look forward to meeting everyone this summer! You can learn more about me here and your student orientation leaders here.
P.S. If you haven’t already registered for orientation, you can do so here.
