<p>My Orientation leader emailed me and said she is interested in getting to know my plans for the future, my major, and anything that will help her know me better. Does she expect me to email back or does she want me to tell her at Orientation?</p>
<p>it’s safe to just email the OL</p>
<p>As a former OL, it’s not really a big deal either way. If you do, it can help to establish a relationship where they’ll be better able to answer questions you may have but it is by no means required. Their position is less important, serious, and impactful than the average incoming freshman assumes.</p>
<p>OL’s are essentially student volunteers to make freshmen feel at home and help you with the adjustment to Cornell. They are really only there to help you and have no impact on your academics or standing with the university.</p>
<p>That being said, as fellow students, the polite thing to do would be to reply.</p>
<p>I didn’t reply lol, I already have all answers I need from the facebook group. I might reply just to get to know her but I personally don’t see it necessary.</p>
<p>Email your OL back! I’m an OL and when I got an email from one of my incoming freshmen it made me so happy :)</p>
<p>Hello Avunculars,</p>
<p>BBallMath and fallenmerc are right – as far as it goes. The OLs have little or no official power over you. They’re not like RAs.</p>
<p>That having been said, welcome to the adult world. Success in life depends on going above and beyond. And that definitely includes networking. (In a recent poll of college grads, two out of five wished they had networked more.)</p>
<p>[Photos:</a> Two-Thirds of Americans Don’t Know What State Northwestern University Is In | Vanity Fair](<a href=“http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2013/05/60-minutes-poll-college-locations_slideshow_item1_2]Photos:”>http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2013/05/60-minutes-poll-college-locations_slideshow_item1_2)</p>
<p>The more people you get to know – especially people with enough social and other competence to become OLs – the more doors open for you. That goes for jobs, both on-campus and full-time (my first on-campus job was sent my way by someone I met during Orientation, in fact), the skinny on what each professor really emphasizes, friends, activities…even dating.</p>
<p>Not to mention that someone like an OL can be a great person to turn to for advice, when you want to talk with someone who’s outside your normal circles and doesn’t have any power over you.</p>
<p>I assume you don’t have a specific reason <em>not</em> to be in touch with your OL. If that’s the case, I see no reason not to email her back a little something in response to her questions. No need to give thorough and complete answers if you don’t feel like it. She just wants to get to know you a little better. Odds are she’s an extrovert and thus enjoys meeting people.</p>
<p>Last but not least: BBallMath and lichte94, thank you very much! I could never have done all that comes with being an OL. Keep up the good work.</p>
<p>I sent my OL a hello email before the semester started and she happily responded. She seemed very nice, but I didn’t make it to… er… ANY orientation events, for any time even weeks later and it didn’t matter.</p>
<p>Don’t feel obligated, but if you really want to learn some things and want to be a little informed about our school, you should go!
I had had tours from friends and had a hectic schedule orientation-time.</p>