Mentoring new students for a better transition

                The school year has begun this past Monday August 26. The excitement and anxiousness of the first day of classes has been looming all summer. There are those who are returning students, as well as new incoming freshmen. These groups of students are fresh and new to college. Some can feel lost and confused, while others are accustomed to change.

                The transition from high school to college can be difficult. This has prompted UT Tyler to create a program that can assist freshmen with getting familiar with this new environment. The Patriot Freshman Connection program was developed to aid freshmen in their transition from high school. This program consists of a peer mentor who is assigned to a group of freshmen with similar majors. They also get a faculty/staff mentor assigned to them.

                I have decided to participate in this program to help new students feel like home in a new campus, especially those that are away from their family/friends back home.

                The purpose of a peer mentor is to provide new students with someone that has been through the experiences they will go through. I will be in charge of helping new students find ways to get involved on campus. I will inform them of events that happen every month through e-mail. I will also be a friend to whoever feels like they need somebody to talk to.

                This experience is a continuation of my summer as an orientation leader. I will share the same leadership roles to make these students have a good first year of college. The PFC mentor meet and greet occurred Tuesday August 27, but I was unable to meet the students in my group as they were absent. That's alright though because Facebook will help me get connected!!

                It all comes down to your college experience. The first year can at times be difficult, either through class stress, being homesick or even feeling alone. Regardless of what reason it may be, having someone to help you transition to the best four years of your life can mean a lot to some. I want to empower people throughout my life, and I love helping others when they need it. This opportunity will provide me the satisfaction of knowing that those assigned to my group can have somebody to confide in anytime, but it will also strengthen my interpersonal skills.

For more information about the PFC program click here 

If you would like to become a PFC mentor click here 

For contact information follow this link 

                

Transitioning done right... College edition

                Senior year of high school can be the best year out of your whole high school experience. You've been through the awkward lunch table woes of freshman year, the “limbo” stage of sophomore year, the premature junior “coolness” of almost being a senior, and then finally you’re on top of the ladder.

                Lunch time is shared with laughter and joy, your homecoming dance is special as it is your last, and then the much anticipated Prom occurs. The last hoorah! The time where your fellow class men join together before graduation. Once that cap is thrown in the air, there’s a moment of introspection. You've reached adulthood once 18 comes around. You are now ready to set your foot into responsibility as you head off to college.

BUT IT’S OK!

                A new start can be liberating. You are coming to a new place, trying new things. Change is always good. You get to meet new people and mold yourself into a fine adult. This isn't like freshman year of high school where everything is awkward and there’s a social ladder to climb. In college, maturity prevails. There’s really no social hoops to go through. Really, who’s going to know all 6,900 students that attend here. No one.

                The first day may be intimidating, but it always is when the unexpected looms around you.

                The best way for you to have a smooth transition is by :

1.       Get acquainted with your college

a.       Take a campus tour

b.      Attend Freshman Orientation

2.       Research student organizations

3.       Get acquainted with your professors

Many incoming students don’t take orientation into consideration, but it is a really helpful transitioning tool as you get to see the campus, meet organizations and meet other freshmen who you end up hanging out with. Trust me! This summer I have seen many freshmen becoming friends during the orientation sessions.

Once you begin school there will be a week where different student organizations meet and greet new students. Take advantage of this opportunity to get involved. It’s better to start getting involved from the beginning of school so that you don’t just sit in your dorm room when your school work is done.

Finally, know thy teachers! Your professors are one of the most important factors of having a successful college career. They will be with you along the way every semester. Speaking from experience, getting to know your professors helps you feel more engaged in classroom discussions. You’re not just another head in the crowd. Our professors are here to help when you ask. They care about your education. So don’t be afraid to pop in their office once in a while.

So for all of you incoming freshmen worried about your first year out of home, or your first time alone in another city; don’t fret. You will have one of the best experiences in your life. Just get excited for this fresh change to come and free your mind from expectations.

UT Tyler Freshman Orientation

                Last week a group of students made the next step in their transition to college. Newly graduated from high school, freshman received a peek at the college life. Freshman Orientation 2013!

Passing out tea for dinner

                This too was my first freshman orientation that I worked as an Orientation Leader. I partnered with a fellow leader to provide a positive and engaging experience to a group of 12 upcoming students.

                Day 1 began as an introduction, as freshmen were assigned two orientation leaders. They got to know their orientation leaders through fun ice breakers. They received presentations on the different resources they needed. They received presentations on money management services, housing plans, dining plans, student integrity, as well as attending a fair with some of the student organizations showcasing. Stanley's BBQ catered for dinner. If you would like to know more about Stanley's check out Dallas' blog post at http://go2uttyler.blogspot.com/2013/06/stanleys-famous-pit-bar-b-q-best-bbq-in.html

                After all the informative presentations were over, the free time began. How else can freshman unload the overload of new student information? POOL PARTY! This was my personal favorite part of orientation because it allowed everybody to get to know each other by swimming, playing pool volleyball, basketball and just having a good time.

                When it was time to leave the pool, everybody headed to Ornelas Hall student dorm where everybody was checked in to spend the night earlier in the day. But it wasn’t time for bed, I mean, who would?  The excitement overcame drowsiness. Orientation leaders and new freshmen got to spend time hanging around the media room in the first floor, as well as playing ping pong, watching TV and playing video games.

Students listening to presentations

                Day 2 was filled with more important activities as students experienced a mock class with Melissa Dotson teaching like she normally would during the semester. With great feedback, students were excited about their first day of school!

                Later they got to have some time with the orientation leaders to talk about anything they needed to know, or even answer questions they could only confide in fellow peers. 

                Meet your college was next, as students got to meet their designated colleges to meet some of the faculty and staff they will encounter the rest of their academic career.         

                As things wounded down, students waved goodbye to their orientation leaders and the campus that would soon be their new home.

                Orientation is a great experience as future students are able to get immersed early to some of the amenities that our campus has to offer. If you haven’t had the chance to register for freshmen orientation go to http://www.uttyler.edu/orientation/register.php

Check out a fellow blogger's blog that has pictures of what goes on in orientation at      http://go2uttyler.blogspot.com/2012/08/its-like-university-came-back-to-life.html#more      
           

It's a small world after all!

Summer's over. So that means Emmy is back! woo-hoo! 

Talking about myself in third person is weird. So Im'ma put that on the back burner for now.

I returned to UT Tyler for my sophomore year of college.

There is a bunch of fresh new faces and the faces of my previous peers.

My major will not be spoken of til the end of the semester. If I slip up or happen to mention it it will be the "Thing that shall not be named." 

So I was put through random roommate selection for a Patriot Village four bedroom and ended with an upperclassmen and two freshmen. 

One of which has a very distinct first name that I believe I sent a postcard too/called when I first started working here. So yeah. That's kinda amazingly weird. 

I ended up giving my roommates a tour of where their classes would be when they started classes that Monday. 

So this is a new experience as my work life has seeped into my home life- 

giving direction to the freshmen I live with as they go through their first year of college.
So that's my life right now.
See ya later!

New Patriot Orientation in Pictures

This was the first New Patriot Orientation session of the summer held in last June 14-15.
Click here for my blog post on the two days.

Student check-in desks

Freshmen's Bag O' Stuff (filled with information, brochures etc.) and their Official Patriot T-shirt

UT Tyler Orientation Leader Retreat

5 Things an OL should NEVER forget

After hours of sleep deprivation, learning every fact about The University of Texas at Tyler, and competing in extremely competitive endurance challenges I survived my first Orientation Leader Retreat. I learned so many different things this past weekend and I wanted to share my experience with the things that really stuck out to me.

1. Drink lots of coffee/always have caffeine on hand.

By being an Orientation Leader, you're going to be exhausted waking up in the wee early hours in the morning so remember to drink some sort of caffeine to make sure you're wide awake when you first meet your freshmen that are assigned to your group.

2. Remember it's not about you, it's about them!

The whole reason for being an OL is to really portray how awesome our school is and how hyped we are about the incoming patriots!! So put their perspectives first and foremost before your own because you will have a huge impact on how they view The University of Texas at Tyler and their decision in choosing the school.

PSA to all incoming freshmen

The end of semester is near which means it's time for the newbie to reflect on completing my first year of college. It's had it's ups and downs but I survived with all my limbs with a couple scrapes and bruises and bags under my eyes.
             The biggest thing I learned that is important for freshmen is a strong support system to help us remain standing as we lose sleep doing class work in the wee hours of the night when only the infomercials play and adapting to living on our own. The first thing you should try to do is get involved in the campus community and make friends in your classes and to get a head start, for the overachievers, try and make friends at orientation. You'll definitely see this people on campus again and possibly in your classes.The worst thing to be in college is being shy. It gets you nowhere.
    You must make your name and create connections with other students, university workers and professors. This is mostly because sometime in the near future, you will need a letter of recommendation or someone to use as a reference. It's absolutely no fun sitting alone in the MET or Chick-fil-A.Whilst the next table is a loud energetic group of hooligans cracking jokes who are slightly annoying to the other students who are trying to eat peacefully. It's easy to lock yourself in your room and sleep the days away and not attend class. It also easy to lock yourself in your room with your homework and only leave to eat and go to class. You are in charge of what you do.