<p>Hey! </p>
<p>So, obviously I have to attend my move in day (August 20th) but the week following that seems jam-packed with a lot of similar-sounding seminars. I'm just wondering which are the most important/helpful to attend and which are more "optional". Because, to be honest, I would rather spend that week following move in day with my family (at the beach or at disney world in orlando) before they fly back home to Canada :'( So any tips from parents with 'canes or anyone who has been to the orientation week would be really helpful! </p>
<p>Thanks!!!! :)</p>
<p>Also, heres a link to the schedule if you need to refresh your memory
<a href="http://www.miami.edu/sa/index.php/orientation/%5B/url%5D">http://www.miami.edu/sa/index.php/orientation/</a></p>
<p>All of them. Your RA will make it seem required and 99% of the floor will be going to them, and this is CRUCIAL bonding time with floor mates and other freshman. Don’t want to sound harsh, but neglecting orientation for your family is a really bad idea and will serve to harm your connection and cohesion with your peers. I don’t know how to back up my claim other than by saying: I was there.</p>
<p>^Totally agree. Plus, once you get all of your stuff moved in, I can almost guarantee that you’ll want some time to make friends and get your parents out of your hair. This is coming from someone who is on really good terms with both his parents: we had one nice dinner together, and then they left for the Keys the next day. Didn’t feel even a pang of homesickness. You really want to spend that time making friends with your floor, as well as throughout the freshman class. One of my really good friendships was started during the Orientation Outreach; another was made during one of the “house” events (your floor and the floor below you). Even more were made in spending time together in between the different seminars and whatnot. Point being, don’t skip out on the orientation events. They may seem boring and pointless, but they’re actually very useful. Not to mention the fact that you’ll get on your RA’s good side, which is never a bad thing :P</p>
<p>To add on with another personal story: Orientation has a lot of presentations/events where you sit and listen to a dean spend an hour talking about residential life rules/policies, for example. It definitely can be boring. At one of the presentations, I ended up falling asleep and resting my head on the shoulder of the guy next to me (a complete stranger, but someone who lived on my floor). Throughout the year we ended up becoming best friends and now he’s my roommate for next year. 
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<p>So yes, even if you’re sleeping through these events, you’re still making connections :p</p>