How was freshman orientation???

<p>For those of you guys coming back from it today, how was it? Can you share some of the more important things that you did, other than registering for classes?</p>

<p>Basically the only three really important things we went to were upgrading our EID/getting our ID, our meeting with advisors (allowed us to register), and then registration. And yes it’s true, registration is a CF.</p>

<p>Quick tip: Go get your ID the second day. I went the first day and the line took two hours, and when I finally got to the front the system wouldn’t let me upgrade because I had put the wrong birth date in my application. So I went to another office to fix it and came back to the ID center the next day and I just walked straight up to the desk, no line at all. There might be a small line for you though cause I just posted this :P.</p>

<p>Actually, I would advise getting to check-in early and heading immediately to the ID center the first morning. That’s what I did, and then it only took me about 20 minutes to get my ID. Once you get your ID, you can use Greggory Gym and the buses for free, which are especially helpful if you don’t want to walk around in the heat (and you will be walking quite a bit).</p>

<p>~Your roommate is the person you stand next to in line at check-in. Choose wisely.
~Commute if you can, it’s nice to have a hotel to return to during downtime instead of a Jester room
~Otherwise, go with friends
~The non-mandatory programs are terribly awkward, don’t go to if you don’t really want to
~Don’t go to the dance the first night, it’s a waste of time
~Be wary of advisers telling you not to take AP credit
~If you see someone alone, strike up a conversation with them
~Be sociable, but don’t worry about making best friends
~Wing Meetings don’t actually last the duration your schedule allots for them
~Bring a laptop, you can register for classes online much easier that way
~Ask about FIGs, and register for one if you can
~Look at the requirements for your major NOW, and use the course schedule to piece together your courses for the fall before you register the third day
~Use [this</a> site](<a href=“http://registrar.utexas.edu/services/]this”>Services for students, staff, and faculty | Office of the Registrar) for all your needs</p>

<p>What exactly are the Wing Meetings? And are there alot of small group/ice breaker activities? Cause those always end up being awkward and boring as hell…I’m cool with meeting new people, just not in that organized, ice-breaker sort of way.</p>

<p>Oh, and one more quick question:
How much downtime do you actually have? I was looking over the schedule online and there seemed to be planned activities every minute of the day.</p>

<p>The online schedule should indicate which programs are absolutely mandatory. If I remember correctly, last year we usually had like 2 bigger assembly-type meetings per day and college-specific meetings, and a wing meeting. There was plenty of downtime between lunch and the end-of-day wing meeting (unless you chose to go to the optional meetings, which I didn’t).</p>

<p>There’s no ice breakers and you have a boatload of down time if you want. You don’t even have to go to the wing meetings. Don’t worry.</p>

<p>Is upgrading your EID a simple thing or is it long process? And why not go to the dance? Was it really that lame?</p>

<p>You can upgrade your EID online. All you really need to do at orientation is get your school ID card, go to your advising meetings, and register for classes (which you can also do online). Everything else is entirely optional, although they won’t tell you that, and most people will end up going to most of them because they think they have to.</p>

<p>I didn’t attend the dance, but they hold it from 11PM-2AM the first day, and you have to get up pretty early the next morning. And it’s awkward because no one wants to dance with strangers. </p>

<p>Wing Meetings are basically just mini orientation sessions for the actual orientation. They’re helpful if you have no idea what’s going on, which you probably won’t.</p>

<p>Was anyone able to sign up for any ugs classes? When I checked, all of them were closed.</p>

<p>I think it’s sort of like this - Every Friday morning for six orientations, 1/6 of each of the UGS classes open up. If you look on Monday or Tuesday, none look open, but if you were the first one to register that Friday morning, they would all be open again.</p>

<p>Friday? That’s random, considering they open up all the other courses on Wednesday. Who told you it was Friday? That would suck cause no one told us anything about Friday, so I doubt anyone is online checking on a Friday morning.</p>

<p>It was definitely every Friday morning last year. One of those days, we were in the airport and my son was online, trying to get classes!</p>

<p>Anyone have good/bad rooming experiences? Id like to hear :)</p>

<p>Sent from my HTC Vision using CC App</p>

<p>Do you know around what time Friday mornings they are open? Do they stay open for a few hours and then close again?</p>

<p>Dont worry about Fridays…that was last year…this year orientation is shorter and registration is every Wednesday instead of Friday…Last year orientation started on Tuesday and ended on Friday, which was when registration was…This year it’s is Monday thorugh Wednesday…hope that makes sense…</p>

<p>Thanks for the clarification, SWTCAT! I didn’t realize things had changed.</p>

<p>yes…ML…they actually made it a day shorter this year which is probably a good thing. I think there was too much downtime in the years before…</p>

<p>Most of the UGS classes were closed when I registered, so I just went ahead and registered for a social science. I figured I’ll just take a UGS in the spring.</p>

<p>For the record, the first July session is not M-W, it’s W-F (7/6-7/8). I believe all of the other sessions are M-W.</p>