<p>I know it's early for this and Smith is still formulating 2015's schedule, but I was wondering if some current Smithies/parents could let us newbies know what goes on during the first day or so when parents are still around and then after we leave; what has the schedule been in the past? I understand there are generally two move-in days.</p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>I believe the internationals move in a few days early but the main day is September 1st. There is a special page on Facebook concerning the orientation, run by the school itself.</p>
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<p>I am also the parent of an upcoming First Year although I have gone through this with two other kids.</p>
<p>Normally while parents are here it’s just move in and a few lectures that parents or students can go to. After parents leave, the students have orientation groups, register for classes, meet their HPs, HONS, etc (I’ll be an HP next year! So i’ll be seeing some of your daughters) and get adjusted to Smith and start making friends</p>
<p>Haha easy on the acronyms…I know HONS is head of new students, but what is HP? :eek:</p>
<p>There’s that sad hour where Smith staff start patrolling the grounds with crowbars to pry away the parents and herd them toward their cars.</p>
<p>I was wondering about pre-orientation trips also. Online, there looks like there were all kinds of trips last year, but at open weekend only 2 trips were mentioned–one for internationals and one for students of color. Does anyone know if there will be other trips (not that I really want to spend more money, but just curious about scheduling, etc.)</p>
<p>I’m not sure whether there are still pre-orientation trips offered. I know that D will be helping with the weekend hiking trip during orientation. She participated when she was a freshman and had a great time!</p>
<p>I think that they have now rolled what used to be pre-orientation into just a part of regular orientation, and those are now called orientation groups. I think. Someone pleas correct. So some orientation groups will meet on campus (yoga, leadership, cultural connections are some theyve had in the past.) some will happen off campus like the hiking etc. Also, there’s just one move-in day for first years/transfers, unless they’ve changed?</p>
<p>Orientation is a lot of fun, it’s a good way to get to know people outside your house and meet your housemates too (HP=house president, not to be confused with HR, which is a head resident, which is the Smith equivalent of an RA.) it’s just a low stress way to get to know the campus, register for classes, and so on. You can pick and choose which sessions to go to, so don’t feel obligated to do everything. Leave time for shopping, exploring, goodbye hugs.</p>
<p>Certain students get on campus earlier. This includes international students, students of color participating in a special pre-orientation group, and some varsity athletes.</p>
<p>During the first two days when parents are still around there are very few scheduled events since people are unpacking and it’s a big emotional time. There’s one big speech by the president, a picnic or two, and maybe something else. But in general, the real orienting happens once parents leave. You get a day or two to adjust and go to lots of lectures and advisor meetings and things and then you have orientation groups for 2-3 days, which are just as S&P described, and then another couple of days on campus before everyone else arrives (officially) Sunday afternoon, Convocation is Sunday evening and classes start Monday.</p>
<p>P.S. - I would strongly advise going on one of the hiking orientation groups even if you have zero interest in hiking, since by that point you will want a couple of days off campus and because you will actually bond with your group out of necessity. I went on the lightest outdoorsy one and am still friends with some people from my group.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the info!</p>
<p>I’ve never liked these kinds of organized programs (I’d much rather wander off and figure things out on my own), so I found orientation stupefyingly boring. That being said, there are several sessions where you pick up a lot of useful information, though many are pretty frivolous.</p>
<p>ALso, if you pick one on campus, you don’t really have to go. Many people from my group didn’t go and no harm came to them 
If orientation groups really aren’t your thing, then just sign up and do your own thing, but I recommend meeting new people in the groups!</p>
<p>HONS=Head of new students
HP= House President
SAA=Student Academic Advisor
JMG=John M. Greene-where convocation is!!!</p>
<p>Don’t forget:</p>
<p>WAIDH = What Am I Doing Here?
WDIWTC = What Do I Wear to Convocation
FAL = Free, At Last!</p>
<p>And a few other ad hoc groups that form.</p>
<p>Just avoid:</p>
<p>MDTTYMOCC = My Dad Talks to Your Mom on College Confidential</p>
<p>Speaking of acronyms, we used to love the posts around Chapin Lawn (by graduation, all but one had been removed) that sported a convoluted set of letters to advise students not to cross the lawn as a shortcut. My husband and I, with our gutter-minded and irreverent humor, referred to the acronym as “Get Off The Mother-(Insert Expletive Here) Lawn.” (I hope another moderator doesn’t moderate me!)</p>
<p>I should ask my D - I don’t remember if she went to orientation…</p>
<p>I do recall, though, when we dropped her off at the beginning of the year - the HONS and the House President were right there at the door to welcome her and help us bring her stuff up to her room (on the FOURTH FLOOR!). They were great!</p>
<p>I think my favorite acronym is PDNWOTGIYAGA</p>
<p>R6L, I thought that final letter was “E” for “Elsewhere.” </p>
<p>It’s kinda scary that I know the reference and can decode the rest of it, wot?</p>
<p>I’d say it is scary indeed! It would be scarier still if you did as they wanted (because no one does). :)</p>