My summer as a Student Orientation Leader:
During the summer of 2014, I ran new student orientation with 29 other UC students as a Student Orientation Leader (SOL). Over 4,500 freshmen came through our campus for orientation this summer, and as SOLs, it was our job to answer questions, facilitate discussions, run programs, engage parents and students, lead students all over campus, assist college advisors and library workers, react to issues, remember department phone numbers and department heads’ names, wake up at 4am, dance outside of TUC at 7am, clock out around 6pm, make 29 incredible friends – and do it all with a smile. This summer, the most important part for me was the relationships that came out of it. I met 29 of the most driven and compassionate students on campus. We lived together, ate together, worked together, and somehow didn’t kill each other. Despite all of the drama and conflicts within the office of orientation, I still walked away knowing that I have 29 allies on campus. Being a SOL made me a better listener as well as a better speaker. This summer helped me understand what it takes to effectively lead – whether it was leading students, parents, or my colleagues, I learned how to manage it and get the group to where we needed to be.
During the summer of 2014, I ran new student orientation with 29 other UC students as a Student Orientation Leader (SOL). Over 4,500 freshmen came through our campus for orientation this summer, and as SOLs, it was our job to answer questions, facilitate discussions, run programs, engage parents and students, lead students all over campus, assist college advisors and library workers, react to issues, remember department phone numbers and department heads’ names, wake up at 4am, dance outside of TUC at 7am, clock out around 6pm, make 29 incredible friends – and do it all with a smile. This summer, the most important part for me was the relationships that came out of it. I met 29 of the most driven and compassionate students on campus. We lived together, ate together, worked together, and somehow didn’t kill each other. Despite all of the drama and conflicts within the office of orientation, I still walked away knowing that I have 29 allies on campus. Being a SOL made me a better listener as well as a better speaker. This summer helped me understand what it takes to effectively lead – whether it was leading students, parents, or my colleagues, I learned how to manage it and get the group to where we needed to be.