Last Fall, I applied to be an Orientation Leader, and let me just say, it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Since Orientation Leader decisions being just around the corner, here are five reasons why you should apply to be an orientation leader for the class of 2024, as well as how it helped me find my place in the Emmanuel College Community.
- It helps you learn more about yourself.
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When I went into orientation, I was a shy individual who didn’t know whether I would fit into the college lifestyle at all. When I applied to be an orientation leader, I was looking to find ways to be more confident in myself, and I thought that this would help me with that. When I got accepted onto the Orientation team, I was so excited and I thought that it would help me be more confident and less shy. However, after all the training and the summer, I learned much more about myself than I thought I would. In addition to being more confident, I learned how to be more positive, stronger, and kinder. It personally gave me the strength to do anything if I put my mind to it and it, overall, helped me be a better person and changed my life.
- It gives you the opportunity to connect with other faculty and staff on campus.
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During Orientation training, you get the opportunity to learn a lot about the other departments on campus, and you get to meet other faculty and staff as well. Before orientation, I heard a lot about these departments such as Mission and Ministry, Diversity and Inclusion, etc., but never knew as much about it. Being in that moment, getting to connect with other people, not only helped me at Orientation, but it gave me the chance to use the resources that Emmanuel has to offer and helped me find my place in the Emmanuel College community.
- It will help push you out of your comfort zone
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Anybody who goes to Emmanuel College had to go through Orientation and the one thing that almost everyone remembers is the EC Beat during meals. I would never even imagine standing up on a chair and yelling at the top of my lungs, yet, in June 2019 I did exactly that. It was nerve-wracking and terrifying but it felt so good putting myself out there and doing something that I wouldn’t dream of doing. Coming into college I was very shy and soft-spoken, and I still am in some cases. Throughout the month of June, you’re leading a group of students, which means that you’ll be doing a lot of public speaking, a lot of interactive activities and you’re going to need a LOT of energy. Some people, like myself, aren’t so great with speaking in front of others, and it can get quite nerve-wracking. But Orientation trains you for that and it pushes you in a way that not only helps you during the summer but in the long run as well, which is very valuable.
- You will get the opportunity to impact other people.
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I remember that moment after I stepped onto campus during the first semester and not really knowing anyone. For me, it was scary being in a new environment especially for a shy individual like me. I also remember seeing the orientation leaders around campus and how they would always say hi to me and make me feel more comfortable in the Emmanuel community. That was a goal that I had as an Orientation Leader, to make incoming students feel more welcome at Emmanuel. Transitioning from high school to college can be very difficult for people and knowing that there is someone there you can help you through that.
- You WILL be part of an amazing team.
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I wanted to be a part of the orientation team to make new friends, and I left with a family. You are put with a group of people, some of which you have never even talked to or seen on the Emmanuel campus. During spring training and the summer, you spend so much time with them that you learn so much about them. You learn about the similarities and the differences you have, you learn about so many things from one another, and most importantly, you support each other through it all. Some of the people I’ve met on this team have become some of my best friends and people I want to know for a long time. It gives you that sense of community and love and it’s such an amazing thing!