Memphis State University - DeSoto Yearbook (Memphis, TN)

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Already in trouble? Park Jarrett of Clarksville appears confused as his name is called dur- ing the first few minutes of the ori- entation session he attended. Jarrett was one of many who fell victim to Dean Hampton, who good- naturedly teases the new students during orientation. Sherri Fisher the students can be in- formed about the services the university provides and the facilities they may use. A unique feature of the orientation is that al- though Griffin and other key administrators ulti- mately control the process, day-to-day features are run primarily by students who serve as guides to the orientationees. During the spring semester faculty members are asked for recommenda- tions on any student they feel will meet the tough standards set up by the guides ' selection commit- tee. While enthusiasm is usually the first trait people think the guides possess, a working knowl- edge of the campus and leadership abilities are the key characteristics the committee looks for. A student may become a guide by first applying for the position in the spring. Interviews are then set up. During the interviews, an applicant may be asked such questions as Why do you feel the catalog is im- portant? or What would you tell a student who wants to know what serv- ices the library offers? Immediately, a student who may have thought he knew the campus could suddenly realize that, in three years, he really hasn ' t learned much. However, after the selection process is over and guide training begins, the new guides learn more than they ever wanted to know about the campus. Although they have one month of situational train- ing, the guides seem to have a sudden panic attack that first morning of orientation when 175 new students look to them for leadership. But it gets easier. Over the course of the summer, the guides relax and perform their tasks like clockwork. However, burnout sets in around the eighth week. While this is particularly frustrating to the guides, some of the orientationees delight in sitting through an eight-minute O.A.S.I.S. session, which covers 17 major facts about the uni- versity. Immediately following the session, students are led in group tours of the John Willard Blister Li- brary. Tours of the library are considered a very im- portant part of a student ' s orientation to campus, since a major portion of his time will be spent there. Orientation is not just a Getting acquainted with other students is only one purpose of the orientation program as Lucy Gavin learns. Also as a part of the getting acquainted proc- ess, students have an overnight stay i n the dorm since program directors believe this may be the only experience some have with dorm life. Sherri Fisher boring, two-day indoctrina- tion to Memphis State. One of the most memorable fea- tures is The Show. Skits are performed by the stu- dents and choreographed by the guides. Most stu- dents dread the show at first because of stage fright, but they soon put their fears aside when they real- ize all the students are per- forming. What most of them don ' t realize is that, by re- hearsing with strangers and performing as a group, they have learned an essen- tial skill— cooperating with a leader and others. An additional part of ori- entation is rest and relaxa- tion time. The main com- plaint students have during the sessions is that the guides, who are accus- tomed to the fast pace, never slow down. However, when recreation time rolls around, the students seem to love to get active for a few hours at the HPER com- plex. Several tough basket- ball games have broken out, and some male orientation- ees were more than a little surprised when a female guide took them to the uni- versal free-weight room. The primary function of orientation is to make new students at Memphis State become more familiar and comfortable with the college environment and some of the people they will encoun- ter during their stay. And, in accomplishing that pur- pose, most students find that orientation is fun. ■ Sherri Fisher 7 orientation

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Getting to Know You The sun may have been bright at 7:45 a.m., but ori- entation students some- times feel it ' s too early for a campus tour. Guide Kent Stoneking attempts to li- ven up the early morning strolls, but it was not an easy task. However, most students found it helpful to learn their way around the campus before classes Started. DevinGreaney New Student Orientation helps freshmen and transfer students get acquainted W h ' hile many students were sweating it out in summer school, approxi- mately 1,500 new students spent a bewildering two days on campus, trying to figure out just how to maneuver their way around the build- ings. These students, both transfers and freshmen, were participating in New Student Orientation, a serv- ice that Memphis State of- fers in order to get the stu- dents more acquainted with the campus and each other. New Student Orientation is only a part of a broad program named O.A.S.I.S., which is an acronym for Orientation And Student Information Services. The orientation program, in its present form, was begun in the summer of 1984 by cur- rent program director Char- les Griffin. Before Griffin took over the program, ori- entation was limited to a one- day campus tour and advising session for the new students. When he took charge, some drastic changes were made. The program developed into a two-day series of getting acquainted with both cam- pus administrators, such as Dr. Donald Carson and Dean Clarence Hampton, and the Academic Counsel- ing Unit, which primarily serves freshmen. One reason that orienta- tion was altered is the direc- tors felt an overnight stay in the residence halls would give the new students a taste of college dormitory life, even if only for one night. In addition, a two- day stay on campus pro- vides more time in which oaae, 10 , tales of tigers

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At Even if 4 a.m. firedrills are a nuisance, dorm life is still considered convenient fter an exhausting and fun-filled summer, September brings students back to settle down for classes. They rekindle old friendships and, for 2,400 of the student body, a move back into the dorm. Since Memphis State is largely a commuter school, why do students opt to live in a residence hall when they could live at home and stay well-fed and have clean clothes or live in an apart- ment and not worry about an unfamiliar roommate? As sophomore Perry LeBlanc explains, I feel it ' s been an essential part of my college education. LeBlanc, a business major, has lived in Richardson Towers for the past two years. I could live at home, but I knew I would learn more by being independent and on my own, he says. Not only does LeBlanc feel more independent, but living in the dorm has also made him respect his par- ents more. I can really appreciate the little things Push and pull is the name of the game when moving into the dorm. Although dorm life allows students to experience some inde- pendence by being away from home, Carrie Healy and Stephanie Marks show how helpful cooperation from fellow dormers really is. Devin Greaney they do for me, he says. I frequently go home to wash clothes and get a good meal. One major aspect of liv- ing in a residence hall that attracts so many students is its location on campus. It ' s great being close and not having to find a parking place, says Wendy Russell, a senior biology and pre- pharmacy major from Union City. You don ' t have to move your car much if you don ' t want to. Plus the dorm is cheaper than an apartment. Despite the pluses of liv- ing on campus, there are certain unavoidable draw- backs. For example, one thing that every dorm resi- dent dreads is the unpre- dictable fire alarms. In one night we had four alarms go off, Russell says. I live on the tenth floor of Richardson Towers, and it ' s not fun to get up in the middle of the night and drag down ten flights of stairs. Then we usually stand out- side in the cold for about 15 minutes, she says. Another drawback of the dorm can be the tempta- tions caused by living around a group of people. I have more freedom living in the dorm, but I really have to make myself study, ex- plains LeBlanc. He adds, though, that he has really learned that there is a time for fun and a time for study- ing. But living around a group of peers in such close quarters can also have its advantages. Most dorm residents are able to make lasting friendships during their stay in a residence hall. Sophomore mechanical engineering major Chris Langston says he has had the chance to meet a lot of new people in the dorm. T am really close to some people that I probably wouldn ' t have met com- muting to school. As he puts it, I lived at home my first semester. It ' s wonder- ful to be close to campus with people I know. Besides offering close access to classes and friends, the dormitories of- fer a nearness to a neces- sity-food! A popular food spot is the centrally located Tiger Den. Richardson Tow- ers not only has a cafeteria, but it ' s also equipped with a small convenience store on the ground floor of the men ' s side. Built in 1987, the store offers students quick snack foods and a few canned goods. Many students choose to rent a small refrigerator for their room where they can keep any perishables like cold cuts and mayon-