8 Tips to Ease Your College Transition from an Orientation Leader
Head Orientation Leader, Caiti Worwood
Adjusting to college takes patience, resilience, and a major step outside your comfort zone. It’s also one of the most exciting and expansive times of your life. In order to help you prepare for your upcoming college transition, we’ve enlisted Head Orientation Leader and senior majoring in Applied Data Science Analytics, Caiti Worwood for some evergreen first-year tips from an expert.
“What should I bring to my dorm that I might not think of?”
Caiti Worwood: A mattress topper and a fan!
“I’m nervous to live in a residence hall. Do you have any advice?”
CW: Try your best to be outgoing and willing to meet the people you're living with because it's so easy—they’re right there! It's also helpful to connect with the Residence Life staff in your hall, especially your Resident Assistant (RA), because then you’ll feel comfortable asking them questions if you have any issues. Part of settling in means getting comfortable seeing this place as your new home.
“Always be willing to explore, we're in a city with so much opportunity.”
“Do you have any recommendations for meeting friends that you really connect with?”
CW: That's a tough one. Orientation is set up in a way where you can find common interests with people fairly quickly. If there is a club or an organization that's hosting an event, that's a great place to meet people. They are probably there for the same reason you are. Just be willing to be social that day. Tell yourself, “Today I'm going to make two new friends and here's a question that I can ask them to start a conversation.” Come up with a random question to help break the ice.
“How hard is it to adjust to a college workload?”
CW: I was surprised at how easy I found the adjustment, as long as I kept a routine. My trick is to have a schedule and stick to it. Whether your classes are online or in-person, set aside a specific block of time to work on each class. I personally can't do work in my own dorm so I always recommend that people utilize the individual study rooms at the JKM Library. Finding somewhere you can be alone and without distraction is key to managing your workload.
“Would you recommend getting a job on campus during your first year?”
Caiti and co-OLs
CW: As a first year, I didn't, and I wish I would have because I ended up getting a job on campus anyways. It's a great opportunity to meet people who work on campus. You might be able to meet administration this way or connect with other employees on campus. I made friends through other student workers I met at my job. It's a great opportunity and Chatham is so flexible with scheduling. It's the perfect chance for students to earn money while still being able to manage their time.
“What advice would you give to a student who hasn’t decided on a major yet?”
CW: Don't stress at all. People change their majors all the time. You've got to knock those general education requirements out anyway. Take classes that sound interesting and also fulfill your degree requirements. Use those experiences to help you navigate towards what you do want to do.
“How do you recommend adjusting to city life?”
CW: Try to get a sense of the Pittsburgh area before you come here. If you aren't familiar with Pittsburgh, try to acquaint yourself with what's within walking distance and what kind of transportation is available. It’s helpful to research Port Authority transportation (free with your Chatham ID) or the Healthy Ride options (Pittsburgh’s bike share system). You’ll realize where you can walk in 20 minutes (Target) and what neighborhoods have excellent restaurants (Squirrel Hill). Keep in mind, you can also go to museums or ride the incline for free with your Chatham ID. Taking advantage of all of these opportunities is the biggest thing. I think [doing some preliminary research] is important and helpful, but you’ll definitely learn these things along the way.
“Are there any departments on campus that you’d encourage incoming students to check out?”
CW: I don't have a personal relationship with the Office of Academic & Accessibility Resources (OAAR) but I think they're super important for any students who are worried about schoolwork and not being able to manage things. I work with the Office of Student Affairs, a lot. They're super relevant for anything that goes on as a student. That department also provides access to administration if you want to get involved. I work in Information Technology (IT) and that's a great resource for students. A student is bound to have some kind of technology issue so getting friendly with IT from the start always helps.
