It strikes me as so funny, sometimes, just how uncomfortable college orientation is. And it’s funny, because it’s not as if some folks don’t feel awkward. Everyone feels AWKWARD. No one knows where anything is; no one wants to go to the uncomfortable, scheduled activities, but no one has anything to do in their free time; no one can remember the name of the person they just met. And you really only have one option: to ENDURE the awkwardness, by whatever means possible (including using the weather as a topic of conversation).
Looking for solace on the internet (as often do…), I came across this article that I particularly liked about freshman orientation. As the writer put it nicely, “Here’s the thing about orientation: it throws one into a very unfamiliar setting filled with that proverbial Awkward and thus forces one to seek out a method of survival, regardless of pride or self-esteem issues.”
And so much of that “survival” I think is just remembering that
a) no one knows anyone, and they want to meet you as badly as you want to meet them. (so, while I would never randomly introduce myself to the person walking beside me in the “real” world, it seems a relatively normal thing to do during orientation).
and
b) it’s OK to feel uncomfortable, out-of-place, lonely, disconnected, confused, bored, tired, etc.
Morgan, thoughts? What about your pre-orientation program–was regular orientation easier after that? (By the way, thanks for the voice message. Mah, I owe you a phone call!)
And lastly, while I was googling awkward things, I found this great website…http://thatawkwardmoment.net/page/2…I’ve posted a couple of my favorite below.
That awkward moment when you say goodbye to someone and both walk the same way
All for now, Drew
Two Mugs of Tea 