<p>I thought I'd start a new thread about Orientation, as we have just returned. </p>
<p>Penny Wyatt did a superb job of organizing and running the 2 days for both the students and parents. The most important info that I can share is bring a sweater, maybe 2! It's cold in the meeting room. By the second day almost all the parents had purchased new sweatshirts, fleece, shirts, etc. because we were chilled. In all fairness it was cool and rainy outside and I had packed only shorts, tanks and dresses. I wish I had my jeans and a tee shirt-- and a warm sweater. </p>
<p>We arrived on campus, signed in at the LBC and my D picked up the key to her room. We went with her to Butler to drop off her things, make her bed and meet her roommate for the night! It was north meet south as we are New Yorkers and her roommate was from Louisiana. City girl meet farm girl. A good experience for both of them.</p>
<p>We headed back to the LBC where the program began promptly at 1:30pm. Don't miss it, it is warm and welcoming for both the students and parents. A couple of speakers and the kids were off in their assigned groups, approx. 8 groups with 20 per group. The parents remained in the LBC following the schedule until dinner. All the speakers were well prepared and informative. Dinner was served at Bruff for both students and parents. In general, the students ate on one side and the parents on the other. I had never been in Bruff before and was surprised at how small it is. I can imagine that it must get incredibly crowded. They said the new Bruff will be 3-4 times the size! The orientation leaders and speakers were scattered around the parent side to sit with us and answer any questions that we had. We had signed up for the shuttle back to our hotel, but we were so busy talking with the other parents and speakers that we missed the shuttle and took the streetcar back. The kids went to Rock and Bowl and had a fabulous time.</p>
<p>Day 2 was slightly different than Day 1 as not all sessions applied to all parents. We found ourselves walking in and out of sessions. We walked around the campus, between the raindrops, to see the freshman dorms. Each dorm had a sample room set up for us to see. This was a busy day for the students. They received their ID cards and met with advisers to plan their schedules and did more small group meetings.</p>
<p>Orientation ran like clockwork. There was so much information to absorb. It was mentioned that there will be links to presentations that we might want to re-watch, or for those who are not able to attend. Orientation was extremely successful. My D made friends and planned her schedule. She is very excited. We stayed for the weekend and now, back to reality, prom and graduation!</p>
<p>Thanks for the thorough review, @DebmomNY. Glad it all went so well. You uncovered their sneaky plot to sell Tulane gear, LOL. I can tell you nothing has changed as far as the rooms being chilly. Personally I loved it, but I know men usually like the rooms colder. It’s funny, I don’t remember who my D’s roommate was for orientation, but her roommate freshman year was also from upstate Louisiana, while we had lived in the Northeast (RI) for seven years at that point. But she has always lived in a fairly major city, so it was a bit the same situation, although I don’t think her roommate’s family were farm people. They got along great. For those who might be wondering, they found each other on either Facebook or Roommate Click, I forget which. So they asked to be put together.</p>
<p>Anyway, very happy that orientation was a success.</p>
<p>Sounds great. My son is going on the 12/13 of this month. I didn’t register but I am traveling down to NOLA with him. He already has plans to meet up on Wednesday night before Orientation with some other students who are attending! I plan to sit by the hotel pool and visit with my friends! I’ll cab up to the campus with him on Thursday am and pick him up Friday afternoon - but again the group has plans to hang out on Friday night too! I thought he would want to get home as early as possible on Saturday to attend graduation parties so I booked us an early flight back and now he’s disappointed and wants to stay Saturday night too! </p>
<p>@dolphnlvr6 - Hoo boy! There is someone who has one foot in NOLA already!</p>
<p>@debmomNY Did Tulane send you any info prior to Orientation- like what to bring where to report etc? We are going next week and have not received anything yet…</p>
<p>We received an email a few days before. I wouldn’t worry if you don’t. Look at the schedule on the website. There are signs when you arrive on campus-- go to the LBC to check-in and they will give you the official schedule then. Bring a sweater and casual clothes. They provided the kids with a sheet, pillow (with a pillow case) and a light blanket. My D took an extra blanket from the hotel, but I don’t think she even used it. Let me know if you have any questions!</p>
<p>Thanks! The “bring a sweater” waring applies to anyplace you go in NOLA in the summer. Restaurants, galleries, museums tend to blast the a/c. </p>
<p>By the way, check-in started at 11am but the presentations didn’t start until 1:30pm. Other than a couple of minutes to drop her bag at Butler there was no plan. We grabbed a bite to eat at the food court and went to the bookstore. </p>
<p>Good to know, so no rush to get to campus in the am! </p>
<p>Anyone else heading down for Orientation this week? </p>
<p>Home from orientation. My son had a great time and is so excited to get back to campus. He is going to believing in Wall and was really pleased with the dorms there. Glad he didn’t apply for Butler, thats where they stayed and he didn’t care for it. Made his schedule and is pretty happy with it except for the 8:00 am Spanish every day! All the other sections were full or conflicted. Met a lot of great people, still no roomate! Are no guys dorming in Wall,lol? </p>
<p>I didn’t go to the parent sessions but they gave me all the information at check in. We spent way too much money at the bookstore but it’s all good! </p>
<p>We will be back two months from Monday! </p>
<p>@fallenchemist question for you. One of the orientation leaders told them a story about an incoming freshman and I’m questioning if it’s true or just an urban legend meant to give them a little scare. They were told a girl who is supposed to be starting as a freshman arrived on Wednesday night, went to The Boot, had a fake I.D, got drunk and got arrested for underage drinking and possessing a fake I.D. So Tulane rescinded her acceptance.
I don’t doubt that it CAN happen, just wondering if this is some story that gets told frequently? </p>
<p>
Kids! Such wimps these days! :)) He might be able to move to another section once the semester starts.</p>
<p>I honestly don’t know about the story. It wouldn’t shock me if it was a story, but the reason I doubt it a little is that Tulane knows that people talk on forums like this and Facebook and it would be pretty obvious if they told the same story all the time. If they has said someone got arrested the night before the first Orientation and just kept referring back to that, it would make it more possible that it was a canned story.</p>
<p>You are right that Tulane would rescind that person’s acceptance in a heartbeat, and most likely suspend a student if it happened after classes started, if they did the same thing. The fake ID, I think, puts it more over the top than the underage drinking alone. From what I understand, the first offense for underage drinking to excess is a pretty serious warning and mandatory counseling. Anyway, if I get a chance I will see if there is anything in the police logs for that date for that offense at that address. </p>
<p>dolphlvr, glad you had a good trip. My D also ended up with an 8am class (although it’s only twice per week). She signed up for 3 classes in a row MWF at 10-11-12, the first and third are in Newcomb and the 2nd in Gibson. I don’t think it’s feasible to get to and from Gibson in the allotted time, and, I think, three classes in a row is much. I was told on July 1st or so she will be able to switch her classes around. I’m hopeful that she can work out a better schedule, but she is a freshman so time will tell.</p>
<p>Yes July 2nd they can make changes. My son has 8:00 and 9:00 at Newcomb then 11:00 at Mayor…it’s a haul but he has long legs and will have to walk fast. I’m sure many students have to make mad dashes to different buildings. 10 minutes IS actually a good amount of time to get from one building to another. </p>
<p>Oh, our kids didn’t go to Rock and Bowl at night. They took them to Mardi Gras world and they had Bananas Foster. My son didn’t care too much about that, he’s been to MG World several times already, he probably would have preferred Rock n Bowl!</p>
<p>They didn’t give them a choice of one or the other? Hmmm, I thought that was what they had done in the past. Eh, maybe that wasn’t possible that night. I do love Bananas Foster though. Side note, Tulane is building a major research center next to(?) where MGW is. I forget the details of location, but it is going to be for environmental research especially concerning understanding and preserving the ecosystems involving rivers, deltas and the gulf.</p>
<p>@DebmomNY - As dolphnlvr says, Gibson to Newcomb in 10 minutes is doable as long as each teacher lets out on time. My D had that her next to last semester, I think it was, and the prof in her class in Newcomb actually had some kind of penalty if you were late(!!). And of course we are talking the 4th floor of Newcomb for her class, not the first or second. But her Gibson prof (or maybe it was Mayer or Tilton Hall, something over there) always ran a minute or two over and the classroom and class was too small for her to leave without seeming rude (even if going over time is kind of rude in itself, for most people a minute or two isn’t an issue). But she just told the Newcomb prof the issue and he was fine, I think his policy was more to make sure that the students in general didn’t think they could just wander in any time they wanted. And again it was a class of like 12 or 14 students in a classroom with only the one door at the front, so wandering in late was kind of disruptive. Anyway, the point, if I ever get to it, is that despite all that she was usually still able to make it on time. She says it is only really bad when the weather is awful, either pouring rain or one of the really hot and humid days. It is, obviously, just a shame it wasn’t Newcomb-Newcomb-Gibson.</p>
<p>I mentioned it to my D and she heard that they alternate between Rock and Bowl and Mardi Gras World. It’s really about meeting new people and having some fun.</p>
<p>Oh, definitely. I just remember last year some groups had a choice of which to do. At least that is what some reported on here. Not an issue, for sure. Rock N’ Bowl, especially, is someplace the kids would have fun anytime during the year if they want some music with some bowling and food.</p>
<p>Off topic but I miss the old Rock n Bowl…that place was classic…</p>
<p>My son signed up for classes with the intent of not having an 8 o’clock start as well. He was able to accomplish this, but does have 3 classes in a row. We asked around a bit ( current students)…and they all said it was doable. Hopefully my son will experience it that way as well.</p>