The Typical (Out of State) College Freshman

I interviewed with Sarah Maceachern, a first-year out of state student at Rutgers. As she is from the great state of Texas, her NSO experience was different from most, in several ways.

Evan: So what word best sums up your orientation experience?
Sarah: Umm, fear I think. When you first step foot on campus everything just seems so overwhelming! That's why I was so glad that there was a program established that helped students get used to the idea that they're actually in college now. At first my orientation experiences wasn't very fun, I have to say. Some people in my group really did not want to be there, and they made it very obvious. I also felt completely out of place and isolated. I mean, I guess everyone kinda felt like that since we were all in groups with people we had never met before, but it was still a very weird feeling to when you say you're from Texas and everyone else says that they're from some part of New Jersey. But eventually after we did all the ice breakers everyone got to know one another and everything was great. The way that the orientation program is set up, it was very easy to become comfortable with the people in your group and the university. I still keep in touch with some of the people I met during orientation

E: What was the hardest thing to get used to about Rutgers?
S:  The weirdest thing for me to get used to was the fact that the university is broken up into four different campuses and that you needed to take buses to get from one to the other. There are so many buses, I thought for sure I would never figure it out! But the part of orientation that went over the bus system helped a lot, and I had it figured out by the first week of classes.

E: What was the best thing you learned from orientation?
S: Where all the gyms are! I'm very athletic and it's nice to know the location of the gym on each campus and how to get there from the bus stops. And where all the dining halls are too, because I spend a lot of time there as well.

E: What are some things you didn't learn during orientation that you wish you had?
S:  I wish more time had been devoted to all the websites you need to use, like Sakai and MyRutgers. I actually didn't learn about Sakai until one of my professors mentioned it during the first week of classes. That definitely would have been helpful. Other websites too, like the financial aid site, the housing site, WebReg, things like that. I feel like they weren't really covered during orientation. Also, the general location of the classroom buildings on each campus would have been nice to know.

E: Are you glad that you came to orientation?
S: So glad! Since I'm out of state and I live so far away it wasn't mandatory for me to come and do it, but I'm so glad that I did. It made moving in not near as intimidating as it could have been. More than that, it helped me get used to the idea of being a college student and being on my own. It showed what it would like to have a room mate, create my own schedule, and how to get involved on campus. It was so great, I think everyone should do it!

Sarah (third from the right) is far too cool to hang out in the lounge

and instead prefers to hang out outside the boy's bathroom