Move-In Weekend was GREAT!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Washington University in St. Louis
1

<p>Just back, after a long drive to Wash U, and a long drive back.</p>

<p>My daughter is dropped off, and I have yet to enter her empty room. I plan to, perhaps even tonight. But that isn't why I posted.</p>

<p>I am shocked, amazed and delighted at how Wash U. treats its incoming freshmen. If I must leave my daughter somewhere, I am glad it is Wash U. I thought she/Wash U. was a good fit before - now I am positively certain.</p>

<p>What a warm, welcoming, nurturing and fantastic place!</p>

<p>We were met by cheering undergraduates when we pulled into the parking spot across from her new dorm (only one year old) on Thursday morning. One of the group asked for our room number, which we supplied, and they told us to go register. When we were done, they said, all of our thing would be waiting in the hallway outside our room!?! Upon arrival in the room, we were visited by RA's and orientation guides and faculty advisor. One guy helped us loft our bed. We were totally unpacked and set up by 10:30 am - with more than enough time for our (eventual) four shopping trips.</p>

<p>Later that night, after the convocation (which was also great) we saw a couple orientation counselors (the kind that helped carry all our baggage.) I wondered if they were paid for all their help - and asked. "No," was the answer. "We do it because we remember what it was like to move-in as a freshman, and we want to help. Not only is there a commitment for today and this week, but we undertook forty hours of training prior to this. It makes us feel good."</p>

<p>And that is the message given all week - we are glad your students are here, we will take care of them, they will grow and find their passion. Also the advice not to call our sons/daughters but to let them call us (given at an appropriately named seminar 'Letting Go.')</p>

<p>Any other parents out there? What was your experience?</p>

<p>I can't imagine any other college/university doing as good a job at orientation as Wash U. did. Northwestern certainly didn't in 1978 - my experience was nothing like the one I just completed.</p>

2

<p>NUgraduate:
My son was one of those kids that cheered for the incoming freshmen on Thursday. He is a freshmen RA this year for Beaumont House. I too remember how wonderful the kids were to my son when he arrived on campus 2 years ago (wonderful to us too)! The school and its students are amazing! I felt so good about leaving my son there...and I still get goose bumps thinking about the convocation yelling match b/w the dorms. Love, love, love Wash U soooo much! But, I did have a hard time NOT calling my son's cell phone.</p>

3

<p>NUgraduate</p>

<p>Told you so - It gets better and better. Makes you feel very good when you hear the comment "I think I found a home".</p>

4

<p>It does get better and better!</p>

5

<p>missmolly, ST2: </p>

<p>After visiting multiple campuses last year before application period, I realized you can really tell the difference in school's personalities from what admissions chooses to highlight, the types of students who take the tours, and those who give the tours. Wash U. appealed to my daughter (consequently me) from day one. None of the others came close (even my own alma mater which didn't have art instruction to speak of.)</p>

<p>I didn't think I could like Wash U. any better than I already did -- but I do. So - I believe your comments that "even better" is in our future. I kept thinking, "how can I be sad when she gets the opportunity to spend her time here?"</p>

<p>BTW, my daughter called this afternoon! She wanted to know where I put the sewing kit we bought.</p>

6

<p>NUgrad,</p>

<p>I too am an alum (Class of 77) of your alma mater and agree that move-in at Wash U is another experience altogether. I also dropped a son off at the "other" Chicago school 3 years ago and it too didn't compare to the warmth and spirit exhibited by the welcoming committee at Wash U. Our experience (our S is now a sophomore at Wash U) is that the atmosphere continued all year. He truly found his home and had an incredible year. He returned to campus (couldn't wait) on Saturday ready to jump right in.</p>

7

<p>Well said NUgraduate:</p>

<p>"how can I be sad when she gets the opportunity to spend her time here?" I couldn't agree with you more. Wash U's major focus is centered on their students. Maybe that's is why those students seem to be "so happy to be there."</p>

8

<p>All of which helps students discover and develop their interests. </p>

<p>Wouldn't it be great if WU grads could transform their eventual workplaces into the kind of community that they enjoyed in college?!</p>

9

<p>NU, my son is one of the Academic Program Coordinators for the orientation this year. We helped him move in, the 15th (to set up and help the Orientation Ambassadors) and we finally heard from him yesterday. He said he was soooo tired but it is all worth it, since he got to work with very nice hardworking people and the incoming freshmen are great. I think they still have two more days of orientation before classes start.</p>

<p>I remember how sad I was to let him go during his freshman year, but I was so happy for him to be a part of the Wash U community. They meant it when they said they take care of their students. The Letting Go seminar was my favorite. It was very reassuring to see other parents feeling the same way I was feeling at the time.</p>

<p>Orientation at Wash U is really something. Everything is covered (it looks like that to me). I have heard from friends about how chaotic move in day is at their kids' schools. I just smile and say, not at Wash U.</p>

<p>Nurturing is the same word I have always used when asked about Wash U. Must be a mom thing. </p>

<p>It's nice to meet you and the rest of the Wash U moms here.</p>

10

<p>Out on the west coast, we experienced the same thing at Willamette and Linfield. Our D is a freshman at Willamette and I can't tell you how nice it was to pull up to the dorm and have 7-8 people decend on your van and ask "what room?" and off they went. In 30 seconds the van was empty and up the stairs to her dormroom. Same thing for my wife's car load. We only had to carry stuff cause we wanted to. How nice. I was expecting to sweat and climb stairs dozens of times, but all these nice people saved my legs. </p>

<p>At Linfield, my S(senior) was one of the movers for their freshman move in day. We met up with him at 5 for dinner and he was spent. Not too spent to go have dinner and beers at the local rooftop resturant..:) We were having dinner and a beer (or two) when a dad came up and thanked him for working so hard to move his D stuff in that morning. Another proud momment.</p>

<p>I don't if it's just the small LAC's that practice this move-in style, but it is apprieciated greatly by parents.</p>

11

<p>Thanks Opie for your post. Another parent said they had moved kids into Northwestern, Georgetown and Wash U. They said the Wash U. welcome was the best. I wondered if any other school did the "greet and carry" thing... Interesting to see that other schools do. </p>

<p>P.S. Thank you FilAm_mom. Perhaps your son helped carry our daughter's things to her third floor room!?</p>

12

<p>This thread has been very reassuring to this new WashU parent. I didn't know anything about the college (we live in CA) until we started to get the mail and made the first visit. My son was immediately charmed by the campus and excited by the range of opportunities in a place that was not too big and not too small. I'll be honest and say that after the acceptances came in, we secretly had fingers crossed that he would pick UCBerkeley or UCLA (in-state tuition!!) and we were also surprised he didn't choose to attend schools with more name recognition (Cornell and Northwestern for example.) How to explain "fit." He just wasn't "feelin' it" for those schools, he said. He wanted WashU and we decided to let the choice be his. When we saw how easily he made the transition -- with all the friendly assistance and activities -- we are glad we did.
The coolest thing is that when we hugged and said goodbye, he whispered, "thanks for everything" and I knew he wasn't just referring to the new sheets and stuff. What a great place for him to learn who he is and what he wants to do.</p>

13

<p>NUgraduate, I will ask him the next time he calls if he did help carry your daughter's stuff to her 3rd floor room. My guess, is he probably did not. He did that last year when he was a sophomore and was an orientation ambassador. This year he got "promoted" and he took care mostly of logistics. Apparently, this orientation thing is a big production and they start preparing for it in the fall. </p>

<p>He helped with BEAR FACTS, An Arrival Guide for Students by Students. It's this booklet that is sent to all incoming freshmen. He also helped with the different activities during orientation. In fact last night he was in hurry to get off the phone because he was on his way to a discussion at Edison Theater, still a part of orientation.</p>

14

<p>FilAm_mom, your son isn't named "Lee," is he? There were two students at the "Letting Go" talk who did a sketch about phone calls home - and they were very funny, in that too-close-to-home kind of way. I remember their names, and many details, because they were good. </p>

<p>jazzymom, when you say "What a great place for him to learn who he is and what he wants to do." you hit on one of the things I heard during orientation week that struck me. It is so difficult to figure out what you really want to do in life (even as an adult) and I get the feeling that these kids will be exposed and pushed and learn about themselves earlier than I did.</p>

<p>When my daughter and I toured U of Md, we were overwhelmed by the campus. I knew my daughter would get lost there, even if she had been accepted in the best honors program, with a hundred or so students. I didn't get the feeling that a faculty member, or administrator, would care about her. In contrast, at Wash U., I remember Georgia Binnington commenting about "her kids" in a pre-application tour. I could tell she meant it. I could tell she was looking out for them. </p>

<p>Since I cannot watch over her every day while my daughter's at school (nor should I) it is reassuring to know that others are watching out for her. That she will not "fall through the cracks" if there are issues. That she will have help creating a unique path, if that is what she wants.</p>

15

<p>Sorry, NUgraduate, my son's name is not Lee. I can't imagine him doing that Letting Go performance. He loves public speaking but not stage performance. </p>

<p>Dean Mc Leod of Arts and Sciences even gave us his "private phone number" during orientation. I am sure that he has another private number, but still the gesture is greatly appreciated. My son said it is common to see Chancellor Wrighton having lunch at Whisper's Cafe with students. I think that says a lot about the school. I always remember this line from Mr. Wrighton's speech during the convocation-"We are invested in your children because their success is our success". So far, I have no reason to doubt that.</p>

<p>If you want to keep track of what is the latest happening at the school, subscribe to the e mail edition of STUDENT LIFE, the student's newspaper. I find it very helpful.</p>

16

<p>Moms of freshmen WU students:</p>

<p>How's it going? I wonder how your sons and daughters are adjusting now that orientation is over and classes have started?</p>

<p>P.S. A friend of mine who's daughter is starting out at St Louis University is having a terrible time adjusting. I gave her my son's (a junior at WU) phone number. My son ended up calling her instead and invited her to some Wash U events. My friend just called and told me that D was blown away by the kids she met at Wash U, so nice and welcoming. She also said that she wished that she had applied to Wash U instead of SLU.</p>

17

<p>NUgraduate
Your mention of Georgia Binnington reminded me of something else she said that has always stuck with me and made me smile. At freshman orientation a couple of years ago (my daughter's now a junior with a minor in the art school), she described the assembling of each new class of students at WashU as being like preparing a dinner party. She talked about how choosing students for admission was akin to putting together the guest list and seating plan, and part of the excitement of the students' arrival on campus was the chance to see the guests interacting for the first time and find out how well the chemistry among them matched up with the predictions made when they were selected. As someone who loves all things related to food and enjoys the details of party planning, this metaphor really appealed to me!</p>

18

<p>missmolly - I assume my daughter is doing well. We're in touch only every 2-3 days (?) From what we've spoken about, things are GREAT. She was doing homework during one of our conversations (I called her) and that made me feel good. It isn't ALL about social life - that said, the social side seems alive and well. And isn't that what college is all about? Learning to mix work and pleasure, and doing it without sacrificing either?</p>

<p>FilAmmom- I ordered the newspaper. It will be fun to look at. I have fond memories of the Daily Northwestern. A friend of mine drew the daily cartoon in the paper; he is now a cartoonist for The New Yorker. It will be interesting to see Student Life.</p>

<p>map - When we moved onto campus, one of the orientation helpers learned my daughter was in art and asked who her advisor was. When she mentioned "Georgia" his response was overwhelmingly positive, and he wasn't even an art student. How does Georgia help so many students?? Anway, at orientation she mentioned another story about this time of year. She and a colleague were discussing how it is a time of only potential. Noone has messed up, there are no tragedies, failed tests or crummy papers. The sky is the limit and everybody expects only good things to happen. </p>

<p>It reminds me of the times when babies are born. All through pregnancy, and immediately after the birth, you love that little baby intensely and see ONLY infinite potential. Let's admit it, it doesn't take long to discover that raising your baby isn't so easy or even always that hopeful. But, starting college, it IS a time of new beginnings. It is like a rebirth; what will my child become?</p>

19

<p>Student Life is Wash U publication that is produced by the students and anyone can go their website and subscibe to receive it online (really good stuff).</p>

<p><a href="http://www.studlife.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.studlife.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

20

<p>Peer groups aid in college transition</p>

<p><a href="http://www.studlife.com/news/2006/09/22/Scene/PeerGroups.Aid.In.College.Transition-2303453.shtml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.studlife.com/news/2006/09/22/Scene/PeerGroups.Aid.In.College.Transition-2303453.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I think Wash U freshmen are in good hands!</p>