Importance of Orientation (1 Viewer)

[Freeba]

hi all!

I'm a yr 12 student who finished the hsc this year, and a prospective student of Macq for 2010. i saw that semester 1 begins alot earlier than other uni ie 22 Feb '10. and therefore orientation starts early.

wanted to know how important Orientation week is for 1st year students (not international) and whether coming in to uni later during the Orientation week makes such a difference or not?

i was planning on going overseas for two weeks from beginning of feb, so would b getting back around 15th or 16th. really would like to know the significance of it.

thanks

 

[williamc]

waste of time if you are an extrovert you are going to make friends anyway. i attended orientation with an open mind and i left with nothing besides the conclusion that university is filled with Asians who can't hold a normal conversation for more than 15 seconds.

 

[merillem]

Lots happens in first year orientation. It's a chance to meet people, sort out classes, find your way around, get the hang of being at uni etc. Probably not the best idea to miss it.

 

[merillem]

...i left with nothing besides the conclusion that university is filled with Asians who can't hold a normal conversation for more than 15 seconds.

...and people not yet able to have conversations for more than 15 seconds with Asians....

what a generalised load of crap....

 

[Absolutezero]

I went, though it didn't really affect me. As long as you take a look around the campus at some point before going, there's no need to go to the orientation. Especially as williamc said, if your an extrovert, you'll easily meet people. If not, just make sure you go to events in your first few weeks, and try and meet people there.

 

[Freeba]

thanks everybody

Lots happens in first year orientation. It's a chance to meet people, sort out classes, find your way around, get the hang of being at uni etc. Probably not the best idea to miss it.

about the 'sorting out of classes' - do we pick and sign up for the classes and lectures during the orientation period, or is it done later?

meeting people is not really my greatest concern coz im sure ill be able to make friends but more concerned about the administrative things that 1st year students need to get organized. really wouldnt want to miss that.

im planning to get back maybe the 3rd day into orientation week, so that does leave me bit of time.

 

[Absolutezero]

You should be able to sort out your classes online.

 

[-may-cat-]

I found it helpful in terms of finding out where everything was, where to go for help with stuff, getting academic advice (this is was probably the most important thing) etc. All things that that you can do at the start of semester i suppose but it did help me get settled in a bit quicker.

 

[Peartie]

You should be able to sort out your classes online.

Unless its changed First Years have to do it on campus at Uni....with academic supervisors and what not....

 

[-may-cat-]

I think thats right, thats what i had to do. Mind some of the academic advisor's didn't seem to be too in the know =S

 

[Odyssey2001]

I started in 08 and we had to come in to do all our subject choices for first year. I'd never been to MQ before and I found it so confusing and wish I could have just done it all at home I mean i found it easy enough without having people checking my every step but instead I had to run around campus tyring to get it done.

I think thats right, thats what i had to do. Mind some of the academic advisor's didn't seem to be too in the know =S

I agree I had a clash on my timetable and no one could tell me what I should do they keep telling me to "ask someone else" "ask someone else" It got on my nerves took me over an hour to find someone who could actually tell me what I should do.

 

[Atlas]

I recommend that you attend Orientation, it's good for letting you get a feel for the campus and the environment before you actually start university, and it's good to be allocated a mentor straight away and to meet some students that are doing a similar degree to you. Overall, I think Orientation does help you ease into uni. Best of luck

 

[Kiim2507]

I thought it was really good. More for the fact that if you're lucky people in your mentor group may share some classes with you so at least you know one face when you get to your first lecture.

 

[dance2urownbeat]

are you talking about o week i.e. first week of classes, or the day when you enrol or the faculty days when you meet people doing similar degrees to you?

 

[xeuyrawp]

There is no designated orientation week BEFORE the semester starts on February 22... in the first week of the semester many lectures still run although tutorials and practicals start only in the second week, giving students extra time to explore the university, look into the prospect of joining some clubs and getting to know the people in your classes better.

Um, what are you going on about?

The Orientation Days are the week BEFORE class. See here: Transition - Macquarie University

You're obviously confusing it with O-Week - the first week of classes.

 

[whatashotbyseve]

I wouldn't say I found it a waste of time but if you don't go you won't be missing out on too much. It's just a pretty generic intro to uni life (note that my orientation was in 05 and it may have changed in structure). My advice would be to go regardless as you have nothing to lose.