We’ve all seen the TikToks about college orientation, filled with matching t-shirts, icebreakers, and, or course, freshmen. While orientation is meant to be a way for new students to get to know each other and their campus, they are not the main character of this story – the orientation leaders are.
Decked out in matching uniforms (and bucket hats for those of us at Bentley), orientation leaders like myself are not hard to spot. If the word “STAFF” printed on the back of our shirts isn’t enough, you’ll definitely be able to hear when an orientation leader is near – with endless playlists and speakers on hand, there’s never a dull moment with the orientation team.
But am I the only one who’s noticed the bad rap us orientation leaders get? These TikToks I mentioned earlier are always making fun of us for being too energetic or for making freshmen do cringey icebreakers. On campus, we get crazy amounts of side-eye for our shenanigans, like blasting music in the dining hall at 7 AM or dancing in the parking lots during Move In Day. And sometimes we even get hate on social media, like when one YikYak user posted “who wakes up and decides they want to be an orientation leader??? (genuine question)” and got close to 700 upvotes.
But what people don’t understand is that being an orientation leader is more than just the cringey uniforms and games. The true magic of the orientation team rests in the team itself and eventually spreads to our Baby Falcs as well. This ‘magic’ has the power to bring together people who would’ve never met otherwise, to build lifelong relationships between strangers in just two weeks, and to inspire freshmen to join the team next year so they can experience all this too.
I remember when I first joined the orientation team as a sophomore, I was so scared I wouldn’t fit in. I only knew a couple people on the team and we had just come out of our strict COVID restrictions. I had a hard time relearning how to socialize and in all honesty, I felt like I was the freshman. I had no idea how I was going to be able to lead an orientation group of my own.
But the beauty of the orientation team is that everyone fits in. No matter how old you are, where you’re from, and what you’re involved in, you are bound to find a connection on the orientation team. This is largely due to our mantra, “take off your cool hat.” Under this mentality, no one is ‘too cool’ for what we do. Instead, we unite as a team through the silly things we do. Through different icebreakers, team building exercises, and designated bonding time, we’re able to come from all different walks of life and identify as part of this amazing team. By taking our cool hats off, we are able to let others in and share our best and worst parts of ourselves, only to be met with unconditional love and gratitude.
And it’s not just about the connections we make with others on the team, but also the personal development we all experience throughout these two weeks together. Joining the orientation team allowed me to embrace my full, authentic self; instead of trying to fit in by catering to others’ needs, I’ve instead found people who love me just the way I am and vice versa. No one leaves the orientation team the same – instead, we all leave as better versions of ourselves ready to take on the semester ahead.
But it would be selfish if we kept all the orientation magic to ourselves. By learning so much about ourselves during this 10-day training period, we’re able to impart this energy onto our orientation groups and foster an environment where everyone can flourish. When we welcome new students with unconditional excitement and kindness, they realize that college is full of opportunities – as long as you take them. And I witness this shift every year in my Baby Falcs. So many freshmen come into orientation expecting to hate it but once they let their guard down, they realize that this is where they’re meant to be and that they belong on this campus. The best Baby Falcs approach every day with an eagerness to start their college experience and oftentimes, these same Baby Falcs end up being orientation leaders themselves. The orientation magic is contagious – it’s so easy to contract and once you have it, it’s so easy to spread.
Joining the orientation team completely changed my college trajectory. Gone was the girl who lived at home and attended her classes via Zoom. Now, I was the girl with 70+ new friends on campus and endless connections. I made some of my best friends on the orientation team (one of them being from my own orientation group freshman year) and I’ve created memories that will last a lifetime. But most importantly, being an orientation leader gave me the confidence to seize more opportunities on campus and beyond. After my first orientation, I took on more leadership roles on campus because I finally stopped doubting myself and I knew I was capable of more than I thought. I would not be where I am today without the orientation team.
Looking back on the five programs I’ve done, one memory will always stick in my head: it was my first year as an orientation leader and I was meeting with my orientation group for the very first time. As I stood in front of all 25 of them, my inner monologue would not stop tormenting me – you’re not good enough, you’re not good enough, you’re not good enough. But I had no choice – I had 25 people relying on me, so the least I could do was fake it ‘til I make it and quit after the program ended. As directed during our first meeting, I made a list of expectations for both them and myself. With simple expectations for them like being on time, being respectful, and having fun, I was ready for them to be ruthless with my expectations. Dry erase marker in hand, I opened the discussion up to the room to call out some expectations for me but surprisingly, no one did. At first I panicked because I thought they just didn’t want to participate but then one student chimed in and said “we don’t really have any expectations for you because you’re doing such a great job,” followed by nods of agreement around the room. I was speechless – all 25 of these students thought I was doing a great job even though this was my first time ever and when I told them that, they couldn’t believe it. I will always remember that moment as the first time I was able to genuinely tell myself it’s okay, you got this.
I’m not going to end this article by telling you to apply to be an orientation leader (but you totally should). Instead, I challenge you to try more things outside of your comfort zone. Only by having the courage to fail are we able to succeed and through unexpected success, we are finally able to realize our full potential. So join that club, try out for that team, and rush that sorority or fraternity – one simple choice can completely change your college experience. And if you think the orientation team is the place for you, you better start practicing for moo-offs *wink*