As I’m sure you’ve already discovered, or soon will, your orientation experiences are filled with information and newness thrown at you all at once. For students, today’s events may be some of the most exciting times of your lives! You get to meet new people, finalize your schedules, check out the totality of what Ohio University offers and much more. And for guests, you get to see your students discover new things and begin to take their first steps on the life paths they chose for themselves.
In other ways, though, it can be extremely intimidating. And that’s completely OK, because there are so many people and things here to help you navigate uncertainty.
I know BSO better than most. As an incoming freshman in 2020, I experienced orientation completely online, so although it may be hard to believe, I understood even less about OU then than you think you do now. A year later, I decided to become an orientation leader to try to help students like me, those who were wide-eyed and bushy-tailed and cautiously optimistic about their journeys in Athens.
Because of that experience, I know firsthand the sheer amount of support available to everyone at OU, especially to first-time students, and it starts with your orientation leaders. They are extremely passionate about making OU feel less like a strange, new place and more like your forever hOUmes (sorry, I couldn’t help myself), so ask them any questions you have!
In addition to your orientation leaders, the faculty and staff who you may encounter at orientation are normally very welcoming and can be valuable resources. Make sure to rely on and utilize them all year long.
Lastly, you have The Post. As OU’s largest student-run, editorially independent publication, it’s here to serve you and the things you care about. Within the following pages of this annual Orientation Guide, you will find information about OU’s president, Hugh Sherman, learn about Athens’ hidden gems, gain a crash course on OU’s athletic teams, hear hot takes from your fellow students and much more. Throughout the next year and for many years after that, The Post will be here to keep you up-to-date on all things OU and Athens. I hope some of you will join us on that endeavor.
My parting wisdom to you all, at least for the summer, is that despite the emotions and the busyness of BSO, choosing to come to OU, or being the guest of someone who does, is going to turn out so great. But don’t worry too much about the long run right now; just enjoy the day and allow yourself to be curious and adventurous in an unfamiliar place
You’ve finally gotten the keys, now go take OU for a spin.
Ryan Maxin is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Interested in chatting more with him? Email Ryan or find him on Twitter at @ryanmaxin.