University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

Page 30 text:

Assuring a successful beginning for each new U of M student, Orientation Program Coordinators, Cesar Valdez and Molly Nicholson, take their posts at the Orientation Office. --Susan Lyon Moving into to East Quad, Sophomore Erika Helmuth uses her experience to guide Freshmen Katie Johnson and Michael Chosid through the ropes. --Susan Lyon 28 Michigan Life

Page 29 text:

Reaching the hearts or the approximately 51,000 people at U of M stadium, Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke to the 1993 graduates about idealism and inspiration. - Ann Arbor News Photo Reprint Cheering on the maize and blue, Hillary Clinton mingles with the graduates after the ceremony. - Ann Arbor Neuis Photo Reprint ichigan ife 27

Page 31 text:

(STUDENTS GET TASTE OE U-M When Detroit na- tive Jeremy Johnson visited the Wolverine campus for the first time, he felt like he had entered a foreign land: People kept saying things like, ' Let ' s meet at the Fishbowl and go hang out on the Diag, ' or, ' Let ' s check Mirlyn and Crisp info at Angell, ' and it sounded like a foreign lan- guage to me. Like many students, Johnson said his first educa- tion was in the complexities of such a large campus and in the specialized language and customs of its inhabitants. Orientation, fortunately, provided many incoming students a crash course in the new culture by organizing campus tours and teaching new stu- dents how to take advantage of all the opportunities offered by the University. Classes haven ' t even begun yet, said John Riley after his three day orientation session, and I already feel like I ' ve learned a lot. Orientation leaders stressed that students were not just tourists getting acquainted with their new surroundings. A lot of serious work goes on here, said orientation leader and LSA Senior Kathy Cook. The success of a student ' s first year depends a lot on the effort he or she gives at orientation. Indeed, among the orientation activities were foreign language placement tests, first-year composition tests, and su- pervised registration for first-year classes. With strong performances on the tests, many students hoped to place out of foreign language and writing requirements, and nearly everyone struggled to master his her first experiences with computerized registration and to secure places in the most popular classes. As an opportunity for the new Wolverines to get a feel for the campus ' unique diversity and for the wide variety of organizations, many brief educational seminars were on the three-day agenda. Though not mandatory, these sessions were eye-openers for some incoming students. Students and orientation organizers emphasized, however, that the students learned as much from the social activities and tours as they did from the aca- demic workshops. One of the keys to success at such a big university is knowing where to find and how to use all the academic and personal resources available here, said Cook. To make the point, ori- entation leaders discussed the valuable help available from guidance counselors in the residence halls and academic departments, library resources at the UGLi and Graduate Library, and computing resources at Angell Hall and other sites around campus. Social activities also accustomed students to the unique opportunities and problems that arise on a crowded and sometimes impersonal campus. I really thought that university life was just about reading books and taking tests, said Niomi Abramson, but after rooming with a complete stranger for three days, I realized there are a lot of other adjustments and challenges involved. LSA Junior Arlene Olivero agreed saying she learned as many communication and interpersonal skills as academic skills in her two years of living in residence halls. Most juniors and seniors said they had a difficult time at the University until they learned their way around and developed the social skills necessary to build friendships and strengthen relationships. Ori- entation sought to provide new students a head start by exposing them to the many different facets of uni- versity life, and most students praised the effort. You really have to know a place and feel like you belong before you can call it home, said Olivero. Michigan Life 29