Show FRESHMAN ORIENTATION ITS IT'S NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE BE w t By Karen Neustadt cps Say goodbye to boring capus tours fresh man orientation is becoming downright adventure From milking cows to Whitewater rafting trips colleges colleges colleges col col- col- col leges are coming up with creative new ways to ease the freshman willies Faced with crowded campuses students from diverse cultural backgrounds and social issues such as date rape AIDS and alcohol abuse many colleges colleges colleges col col- col- col leges and universities are focusing on strong orientation orientation orien orien- tation programs to bring unity and inspiration to incoming freshmen While outdoor adventures for new students are gaining popularity on some campuses other schools find to one-to-one bonding among advisers and students equally effective Some schools include include include in in- clude parents in the orientation process while others encourage freshmen to involve themselves in volunteer projects Orientation is also a time for parents to think of separation in a way that's positive not in a way that promotes fears says Kate Greenfield dean of academic programs at Albright College At Sterling College in Craftsbury Common Vt k officials believe that challenging outdoor activities help academic study year First-year students known as It get acquainted through morning orientation activities during the first week of clas clas- ses They arise each day after dawn and break into groups for outdoor tasks Challenges include morning farm chores such as milking co cows s woodlot jobs roping and hauling i logs and building cross country ski bridges The week is closed with a night hike over the nearby Lowell Mountains Seeing the dawn is a new experience for most of them said Sarabelle Hitchner director of ad ad- missions Another school Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo Mich boasts an orientation program called caled Sea Land that is modeled after Outward B Bound und Students experience the joys and frustrations frustrations frustrations of three weeks of group living in the wilderness wilderness wilderness wilder wilder- ness as they engage in a vigorous round of hiking canoeing climbing and One week is spent learning how to sail a foot 60 brigantine around the Great Lakes while the other two are spent in the woods and bluffs of a nearby Canadian park Officials say a bond is formed that lasts long after students return to campus for clas clas- ses For the he straight year the Outing Club of Whitman College in Walla Walla W Wash sh will offer Whitman Scrambles which consist of nine one- one week trips scheduled for the last week of August and led by teams of upperclassmen Only six to 10 freshman go on each trip that may include Whitewater rafting backpacking camping or biking The trips are sponsored by the Outing Club and run about S per trip At St. St Lawrence University in Canton NY orientation is preceded by optional trips pre which consist of three-day three limited enrollment outdoor outdoor outdoor out out- door adventures in August that may include short hikes for beginners a challenging trek across Mount Marshall for skilled a and d a hiking and camping trip to Armstrong Mountain Some orientation programs are tailor-made tailor for individual students For example Carthage College in Kenosha Wis matches incoming students with witha a freshman adviser who knows the students student's history history his his- tory educational background and interests Unlike most colleges that provide time part advisers Carthage Carthage Car Car- thage freshman advisers are time full-time employees Another college Baldwin Wallace College in Berea Ohio offers an innovative course to all incoming incoming incoming in in- coming freshmen Its It's a semester full-semester orientation course worth three credit hours and is taken by more than 75 percent of the freshmen Entitled College th the course is taught to small classes by 20 trained faculty members who design their own curriculums The popular course relies on research concerning student retention and hones students' students study skills There are lively discussions on topics like date rape alcohol abuse and getting along with ones one's roommate The Albright Unity program at Albright College College College Col Col- lege in Rea Reading ing Pa brings stude students ts from diverse background together As part of the program which begins during orientation freshmen from communities foreign countries and urban environment environment environ environ- environment ment are brought together with Albright student leaders Students are encouraged to discuss and compare their diverse backgrounds V Two weeks after clas classes es begin the he students go goon goon goon on a retreat to discuss their impressions of student life Other mixers are scheduled during the school year such as an international dinner sponsored by the foreign students Student mentors at DePauw University in Greencastle Ind are trained the previous year on how to offer support to incoming fresh fresh- men All mentors usually juniors of t seniors are carefully screened and are selected to represent all areas of campus life Loyola University at Chicago has gone 1 as far as publishing a book for incoming freshmen Entitled How to Survive i r ti Freshman Year the guide is based on interviews interviews in in- interviews with upperclassmen who tell teU what they wish they had known when they started college The book includes 1 4 w practical advice like bring plenty of hangers Changers h and over th the over door shoe hangers h angers save precious closet floor space Students entering Wichita State University in Kansas receive a page 50 book that includes a list of 13 things to t never say to your professor Among them s i iI I I worked too hard to get a C on that 1 r paper and if you would have read my f paper like I 1 meant it you would undera under under- a t sta stand i- i While some schools may DC De holing holding i ir r your with seminars North Georgia College in Dahlonega Dahlonega Dah- Dah t. t Ga begins the year with a rl r k military boot camp cap Frog Week consists 4 i of hour 18 days in which men and WI f women learn to handle rifles and throw If 1 grenades They dress in fatigues Men lose x A their hair in a second 30 buzz cut Cadet officers are on their cases and andin vA in their faces said Marc Cutright director director director tor of media services at the college Xavier University a run Jesuit-run school in Cincinnati Ohio named its orientation orientation orientation orienta orienta- tion program Manresa after a Spanish town Its It's the spot where the founder of oft t the Jesuit order made a decision dedsion to commit commit commit com com- mit his life to human service The program program program pro pro- gram which stresses volunteerism tw en encourages students to choose choos pr projects to work on throughout ou th their ir fir first t y year a Students work at local soup soup t ens ens- lend a au hand u d at t i to q t kue ff ip fp j i t c centers and volunteer lio aora Q for ot t the 1 c 1 R t S e. e f. f r that h In addition io e 0 J j tg 9 Jr tin JS fU i i tf 5 t Jf t. t o the i 1 i a I reS' reS i h men d. d ers elitia m I A an h fter 1 oJ tt 1 r I t f I 13 r Outs ok kit c. c l u s a Ik m O f i orientations frito gna- gna h ff l irn J rII f t ts s schools os ar are are i t i aw ys- ys If he I ie fi j d' d r a methods to ease tran transition to t c mp kr life Ohio N Northern University in Ada i if i. i O Ohio io for example do doesn't conduct an ani intensive orientation for parents though l it does hold briefings that parents may choose hoose to attend i r Ii I t r w. w yiT jr A 1 7 e. e r J. 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