Two weeks ago, I took my youngest down to James Madison University for freshman orientation. I had planned to post about it the following week, but the power outage disrupted all my plans — blog included. Anyway, I’m ready to share my orientation thoughts now because, of course, I have a few.
O isn’t my first kid going to college, but this was my first experience with freshman orientation. (My older son started school in 2021, when COVID measures were still very much in play on college campuses, so things like freshman orientation didn’t happen.) Because I wasn’t with him in the fall when he took his official campus tour, I was looking forward to seeing where O would be living for the next four years (despite my distaste for crowds and most organized events).
It was an early start to the day, so we drove down the day before and stayed in the on-campus hotel (part of the school’s hands-on learning experience for hotelier and hospitality majors). We found a some-what allergy-sensitive restaurant for dinner and then, with some delicious dairy-free sorbetto in hand to make the 90° evening air feel more like a balmy 80°, we walked around campus.
The next day, after a brief yet engaging welcome presentation, parents and students were separated. We were reunited sometime around 4PM. After a stop in the bookstore and another for food, we started the drive home. O was now officially oriented and ready to return to campus in a month’s time as a college freshman.
So now that I’ve had time to digest the experience, a few things stick out for me. Here are my top ten thoughts about orientation:
- JMU’s orientation team has their shit together. For real. The organization was on point. (As a former event planner, I appreciate this.)
- My attention span sucks. So does my ability to not nod off at least a few times during the day when I’m forced to sit and listen.
- I’m not much of a crowd participation person. (Shocker, I know.)
- Whoever said there are no dumb questions was wrong.
- Whoever planned the number of bathroom breaks throughout the day was probably a middle-aged woman with bladder issues. I have two words for this person: Thank you.
- I forgot how much walking there is on a college campus. SO MUCH WALKING. (Silver lining: I got in my steps!)
- 105-degrees is way too hot to take a campus tour, even with a plenty of cold water available along the way.
- The JMU fight song is a little silly, IMO. It starts out strong, but that ending … It’s not for me.
- The four-hour drive to JMU is nothing compared to the seven-hour drive to MIDD (but it still requires at least one bathroom stop #iykyk).
- He’s ready — and so am I. (I do, however, reserve the right to change my mind when it’s time to say goodbye. He is my baby, after all.)
Despite the parent orientation sessions being mostly geared toward easing the anxieties of first-time parents, it was a useful event — even for those of us who’ve been down this road before — and I’m glad I went. I’m even more glad O now seems fully ready and excited to go.
Only two and half more weeks until move-in day … Let the countdown begin!
— LJDT
