I’m sure most current FSU students remember the three packed-full days of orientation activities that were most of our first introductions to the school that we’ve all—hopefully—settled into now. Getting up at 6 a.m. to view presentation after presentation and sleeping on a dorm bed for the first time ever might’ve been unideal at the time, but looking back, it brings a sort of nostalgia. Knowing I was able to ease into the mix of nerves and excitement I had finally being on campus as an actual student makes me appreciate my orientation experience more than I did at the time. One of the main things that made me feel more accustomed to the school was how helpful and welcoming the Orientation Leaders (OLs) were. That’s why I’m so excited to introduce a few of the OLs for the new Florida State University Class of 2027!
Guisell Puerto
Guissell is my roommate and my inspiration for this article. She is one of the kindest and most caring people I have ever met, so I can confidently say that the class of 2027 is in the best possible hands! Guissell is from Nicaragua, Managua, has lived in three different states, and used to play the trumpet. She decided to be an OL because it was the best way to put herself out there and make friends. The most exciting part of the process to her was seeing all the different personalities she could socialize with and seeing how friendly everyone was. She says that the scariest part was the 1-on-1 interviews she had to do because of her social anxiety, but she believes that this experience has boosted her confidence. Guissell’s most excited to meet the new students and hopes to make them as comfortable as possible, even with all the early mornings. If she had to give one piece of advice to the incoming freshmen, it would be to get involved because it’s the easiest way to meet new people and will benefit them in their transition.
Laniya (Niya) FLowers
Laniya is a first-generation student from Atlanta majoring in studio art. She loves music (especially R&B), eating, and plans to open an art studio when she graduates! Niya decided to be an OL because she felt like there weren’t many people outside of the CARE program who looked like her here and it made her feel excluded. Seeing people like her representing FSU at orientation, as well as creating some of her closest friendships, solidified her decision to stay here and she now wants to recreate that experience for other upcoming Noles. Her favorite part of the interview process was the group interviews because she noticed many similarities between the rest of the group and realized they were all there for the same reasons. She thinks the scariest part, though, was the individual interviews because she wasn’t sure what to expect and felt as if she didn’t know what it took to be an OL. Niya is most excited to meet the new students and create relationships with them. She really wants them to know that our campus is a safe space to be themselves. That’s why her advice to them is to be yourself no matter what because everyone here is unique in their own ways and you will find your crowd!
Erika Nguyen
Erika is a first-year nursing major from Jacksonville but grew up in Massachusetts. She enjoys reading, listening to music, watching TV and is a part of CARE. Erika’s sister was also an OL. Hearing about her sister’s experience made her want to help new students become acquainted and offer them guidance, which is why she chose to become an OL. During the interview process, Erika says that she really loved how interactive the group interviews were, but that the scariest part of it was her nerves and worrying if she’d get a second interview. She is most excited to meet new students and for the Southern Regional Orientation Workshop, where they get to meet OLs from different schools. The one piece of advice she’d like to give incoming freshmen is to get involved because there is a community for everyone!
Harvens Rigueur
Harvens was born in Miami and raised in Orlando, can play the piano, and lived in Haiti for three years! He decided to become an OL because he wanted to create a better transition for students, especially for those students that might believe they don’t belong because of their background or for being a first-generation student. To him, the most fun part of the OL interview process was being able to interact with new people, but awaiting the results of whether he was accepted made him the most anxious. Harvens is most excited to welcome the new students and take them around campus. His one piece of advice to incoming freshmen is to just be yourself!
Alyssa Talavera
Alyssa is from Tampa and is a part of the CARE program. She loves to work out and just recently participated in her first bodybuilding competition! Alyssa wanted to become an OL to help other students feel welcomed and find their place on campus, just as her OL did for her. Getting to know a large group of people on a deeper level was her favorite part of the process but says that the hardest part was the competition and knowing that there were many people who deserved the position as much as her. Alyssa is most excited to be hands-on in guiding the new students here to succeed at FSU. Her one piece of advice to our new freshmen is to not be afraid to ask for help: “Everyone is very friendly and happy to assist you!”
Grace Donovan
Grace moved to Florida during her junior year of high school but grew up in New York. She loves Italian food and danced for 13 years! She didn’t have an in-person orientation because of COVID-19 and knows how tough the transition can be no matter what. She decided to become an OL because she loves FSU and wants to help spread the love to new students. She says the scariest part of the process was the group interviews because although she wanted to stand out, she also wanted to show that she fits in and can work well in groups. The most fun part for her was stepping out of her comfort zone and meeting so many new friends, and she’s excited to grow closer with them! One piece of advice Grace has for incoming freshmen is to try everything once because you never know what you’ll learn, who you’ll meet, or if you’ll like it. “College is full of experiences and time flies by!”
Myia Richardson
Myia is a Team Leader for the OLs this year. She’s involved in CARE and likes painting and meeting new people! She was inspired to become an OL because she wanted to leave the same impact that her OL left on her. She says the most fun part of the interview process is getting to know new people who have the same reasons for wanting to be a part of this program. The scariest part was opening the acceptance letter because you have no idea what it’s going to say. Myia is most excited for training camp because she says that’s when all the OLs get to have a good time before sessions start. Her piece of advice for incoming freshmen is to experience college, don’t rush and live it up!
These a just a select few of the large group of wonderful OLs that are ready to welcome all the new freshmen this year. With acceptance season underway, the incoming class of 2027 has a lot to look forward to!
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