Author: Kate Schole

Does that o-week pamphlet look familiar? Then you are probably moving the entire contents of your life into a dorm on North Campus in just a few short weeks.

This time last year, I was a freshman just like you. Pamphlet in my left hand, pen in my right, I began sifting through all of the orientation activities offered until I had created the perfect o-week itinerary. Then, I got to school. And that itinerary was never looked at again.

To take the guesswork out of your first few days here, I have provided a short insiders guide to orientation week activities. This unofficial guide lays out the do’s and don’ts for your first week on campus.

Do:

 

1. Take the swim test. ASAP.
   

   pe.cornell.edu

 

 

 

 

It is awkward, funny, and will give you a chance to laugh at your friends who put it off until the end of their senior year.

2. Go to Barton to pick up your ID.
   
   

   wikipedia.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This might be an obvious one, but your card will be your lifeline at school. You’ll also find several booths surrounding the ID section. Skip it. Grab your ID and get out so that you can spend more time focusing on the more noteworthy activities of the week.

3. Keep your eye on add/drop period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you spent two plus hours during pre-enroll this summer signing up for a nighttime stargazing class (whoops), now is the time to sort it all out before class rolls around.

4. Bathroom Tour.
   
   

   le-compas.ca

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, do not take this suggestion too seriously. I never went on this tour myself, but I found it for you in your orientation guide, and thought it was funny enough to put on the list. You never know, right?

5. Go beyond your pamphlet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet your neighbors, explore the commons or campus without a guided tour, and hang out with friends. You won’t find any of these items on your itinerary, but they are just as important as the activities Cornell has scheduled for you. The other freshmen you meet on North Campus will be your classmates for the next four years. Get to know them!

Don’t:

1. Stress out about your OL group.
   
   

   idesigniphone.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your orientation leader can be an awesome resource, or you may just not click with the group. That is perfectly fine too.

 

2. Ignore your college’s specific events.
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you only go to one event, go to the information meetings about your specific college and intended major. These will actually prove to be useful as you begin your freshman year, so it is worth the time to listen to some of the boring details.

3. Skip Tapestry.
   
   

   tapestry.dos.cornell.edu

 

 

 

There will be people at the front to swipe your ID to make sure you were filling a seat anyway, and it is actually not that bad. Plus, you’ll meet a bunch of people there who were also wondering about the requirement. (The repercussions for missing this one are still unclear, but who wants to risk it?)

4. Worry about not getting to do and see it all.
   

   campusbasement.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will still be able to find the library, learn to manage your time, and figure out how to navigate the campus without going on a single tour. Skip some meetings, meet some people, and spend some time outside while the weather is still nice!

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This author can be reached at kate.schole@www.slopemedia.org.
This article is not a part of a regular column.