Word of Mouth is Not Enough at Orientation

Word Of Mouth is Not Enough at Orientation


Orientation is the first time students get a chance to feel a part of their University community. This is where they expect to be oriented on what the University has to offer them and their decision to attend a specific University is reinforced and justified as possibly one the best decisions they have ever made. Freshman ask questions, and they receive answers, but sometimes word of mouth is not enough. Actually getting to experience something means a whole lot more. The question most Orientation Leaders ask themselves at the end of the summer is whether or not they made an impact on their freshmen, and whether or not they conducted an orientation that was worthwhile and full of valuable knowledge.


Current Freshmen, here at Rutgers University, Jenifer Calle during a personal interview addressed a few things that she wishes could have been included, or in other words emphasized, in orientation now that she is on campus and has completed her first full semester. 

1. Emphasize the importance of time management as it pertains to school work
2. Explain the transition between living at home and living on campus more
3. Orient us on how to get accustomed to the busing system, not by word of mouth, but by actually showing us what could happen

All in all what Jenifer seems to point out is the lack of interactive and experiential orienting that she feels she did not receive. While interviewing her I realized giving them tips isn't enough. It takes a real life experience to really orient someone on the in's and out's of a something, especially a University. What caught my attention out of all three things she covered was the last point. It struck me as the most important, because it was the most common real life problem a freshman here at Rutgers University faces as they begin their first semester and it pointed out a weakness in how we go about orienting the students.
 Jenifer said "I remember the first few weeks, not even just the first few days, I was getting on the wrong buses and not making it on to buses period. Ultimately I was late to all my classes. Them telling me how the bus system works wasn't enough to learn what I needed to in order to be prepared" She also said "In the summer I would have never been able to recognize just how much of a hustle it would be during the actual semester. Mainly regarding getting to my classes"  From that I concluded that walking tours, bus tours, and word of mouth aren't enough. They need to truly experience what the future may be like. I decided to show her the following video: 

After watching this video she herself pointed out the flaws to word of mouth. Just by someone telling you that the new bus system is great and accessible, does not mean you will know what to do come time to use it. Gauging just how a situation will play out in the future is difficult if you don't find a way to get acquainted with it before hand. The challenge at orientation therefore is: HOW TO TAKE SOMETHING SO EASILY SAID AND TRANSFORMING IT INTO A REAL LIFE LEARNING EXPERIENCE. Whether it be through interactive games that teach you how to be prepared for something or creating hypothetical situations...because word of mouth is not enough at orientation. Leaders find a way to make an unforeseeable future more comforting and predictable, because you have to be prepared for anything. 




-Virginia Cabrera