James Madison University - Bluestone Schoolmaam Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

Page 30 text:

events helped freshmen get acclimated to the university LU LJ On the way to an Orientation event freshmen get to know each other. FROGs were in charge of making sure freshmen made it to the events. photo by {kristin mcgregor} Orientation Peer Adviser (OPA) by britni geer {writer} ampler Hall, Wamp, or The Estate, as referred to by the Orientation Team (O-Team), was home to Sallv Bovd, an Orientation Peer Adviser (OPA), throughout Summer Springboard. With only about a month at home, orientation quickly consumed all of Boyd ' s summer. With eight days of First-year Springboard training and four days of Transfer Springboard training, Bovd endured early mornings, late nights, and D-hall meals, but had the experience of a lifetime. When 1 was a 2k9 FROG (First veaR Orientation Guide), I was supervised, trained and inspired bv niv two OPAs, said Boyd. I understood what Orientation was really all about and 1 wanted to continue to contribute to it, but the application process was stressful, and 1 had Left my individual interview in tears. With only 28 spots to fill, the application process to become an OPA proved challenging for Bovd. A paper application, a group interview and an individual interview left main candidates nervous. During her individual interview, Boyd had a cold and stumbled over her words while trying to stifle her coughs. Much to her surprise, Bovd received a phone call during finals week last December that changed her outlook. Kelly Rirenbark, the Coordinator of Student Staff, said ' Hello Sally. We thank you for applying for the OPA position, and it was really great getting to know vou through the process, but. . .we ' d love for you to be a part of our 2010 team, ' said Boyd. I screamed in her ear that, yes, I wanted the position. I was completely shocked that I had still gotten the job. With a go time of usually 6 a.m., Bovd and her fellow OPAs had morning routines of playing music and dancing around before heading to D-hall or D-hiz , as they called it, for breakfast. Early mornings tired Bovd, especially during 1787 Orientation, where events would last until 1 a.m., with a cleanup crew following the event. I was exhausted, I ' ve never pushed my body so tar on so little sleep, said Boyd. Some mornings I would wake up and go to campus but not be actually awake and aware until breakfast. We played music in the morning to wake us up and after breakfast during Springboard we would sing the National Anthem. Summer springboard consisted of checking in students, waving to cars, directing traffic, discussions with students, sessions about general education and lunch and dinner at D-hiz. 17S7 included directing students to meetings, leading 26 {Orientation

Page 29 text:

Harrisonburg ' s Farmers Market is located on South Main Street, less than a mile from campus. Voted Best Place to be on a Saturday Morning by the Daily News Record, students did not mind investing 10 to 15 minutes to walk to the weekly market, photo by (heidi Campbell) freshness of market food. I like seeing the people behind the table and you know that the} ' made it. You can sample eventhing and I like that. In reference to price differences between grocery stores and the market, O ' Brien said, I would say maybe it ' s a little more, but because vou can taste it and because you can see where it came from I feel like it ' s worth it. This idea of knowing where vour tood came from was becoming increasingly important to people. The Harrisonburg Farmers Market webpage recognized this trend stating, As the awareness of the importance and benefits of eating locally and supporting local sustainable agriculture continues to grow, the Harrisonburg Farmers Market looks forward to being an even more vital part of the growing community it serves. There was another key element in the lure of the farmers market. Students ran into friends and stopped to talk. Families sat down to nibble on their purchases with strollers and dogs on leashes. Instead of hurrying off to their cars once their bags were full, townspeople sat down on benches to converse with each other. A farmer took a handful of kettle corn he had bought from across the pavilion and offered some to the Mennonite woman in the booth next to him. There was definitely another reason people ventured to the farmers market and no, it was not because Saturday morning cartoons are not what they used to be. It was the atmosphere. It ' s a friendly place, said Byler. Turner also agreed that the atmosphere was welcoming. I just think it ' s a friendlier atmosphere here, echoed Patullo. You can talk to people and people have time to talk to vou and explain things and answer vour questions and I think that ' s important. } Shoppers flock into the Turner Pavilion on a Saturday morning. The city built the pavilion as a permanent meeting place of the Farmers Market in £008. photo by (heidi Campbell} Visitors at the market find products in the Turner Pavilion as well as in the parking lot. The market served as a meeting place for both locals and students, photo by (heidi Campbell} Features } 25

Page 31 text:

The freshman class performs the DNA dance. The 2010 orientation was the first year the dance was performed. photo by {brandon payne] and overseeing the FROGs, FROG discussions, and of course icebreakers. Ever) ' day and every group were different and impacted me in a different way, said Boyd. Sometimes, a student would be leaving for the day and run up to me, show me their schedule, and hug me saying thank you. The small things that happened nearly even ' day impacted me the most. 1787 didn ' t involve as many placements for Boyd, but the days lasted about six hours longer than springboard days. First- vear move in day, the first morning of 1787, Boyd got to watch her FROGs interact with students and families, which ended as her favorite dav of 1787. We had just gone through three intense days of training and everyone was tired but they were so awesome that morning, said Boyd. I would see them carrying a big fridge up the stairs, sweating through their FROG shirt but smiling the whole time. I loved when I would hear a parent telling a FROG or another OPA that they really appreciated Orientation. I couldn ' t stop smiling. Although it took some FROGs time to break out of their comfort zone, Bovd enjoyed watching the positive outcome that resulted from their hard work and dedication. I loved being able to be there and support them throughout the experience, said Bovd The best moment of 1787 for me was when a girl who had previously struggled to bring her group into a good discussion ran up and said that the discussion they had just had was amazing and she was so happy. I was absolutely thrilled for her. Boyd ' s FROGs looked to her for advice and comfort during difficult or challenging times, including times where first years just didn ' t seem to cooperate with their FROGs. Sally was my OPA and 1 had a lot of first years that were males and at times could be uncooperative, said senior FROG Eileen Proto. I came to Sally for advice and she gave me pointers with how to deal with the situations. She also gave me feedback along with the confidence to handle the group when times got hard. A summer full of training, heat, late nights, early mornings, and D-hiz evervdav proved challenging at times for Boyd, however, on a brighter note, Boyd and her fellow OPAs impacted FROGs, first-vears, transfers, and families in ways they will never forget.] } Features}