10 Things You Should Absolutely NOT Do During University of Alabama Orientation

It’s a great feeling to get selected in one of the prestigious universities of the country. The entire process is filled with doubt and anxiety as you can never be sure of getting in. But once you get admitted to the university, there are other challenges that you need to prepare yourself for. Foremost is packing your belongings and essentials to shift to your dorm room right away. But before shifting you the campus, you need to attend orientation at the University of Alabama.

There is a list of 10 things that you shouldn’t do during the orientation. These things have been mentioned as follows:

1. Do not behave with your parents in an insolent manner. You won’t realize it initially but your parents are going to miss you and want to spend as much time with you as possible. You might find them annoying or embarrassing in front of others, but they just want to pour out all their love for you in whatever little time they get to spend with you before you embark on your college journey. Do not feel worried or embarrassed by their behavior. It’s their way of portraying their love for you.
2. Do not ask your friends or siblings to tag along for the orientation. This is going to be your special day. It’s going to mark the beginning of the coming four years of your university life. You would surely not want it to be spoiled by tending to the needs of your siblings or friends. You should enjoy this day and interact with other people because you are going to cherish these moments in life.
3. Do not form opinions about your prospective classmates from their appearance. You might want to make friends or stay alone in the beginning. Do whatever suits your needs but don’t be rude to your counterparts on the first day itself. It will give them a very bad impression of you and you would surely not want to start your university life on the wrong foot.
4. During the orientation, your guide will take you on the tour and relay a lot of important information. Give him your undivided attention and keep your phone in your pocket. If you use your phone excessively, you may end up missing out on a lot of crucial information. You may also lose the opportunity to ask him about famous dining places or hang out options.
5. On the day of your orientation, you will be instructed to collect your Action Card. This will work as your ID and debit card for the coming four years of your college life. Do not forget to send in your picture beforehand. Or else you will end up standing in the queue to get a picture clicked for the Action Card.
6. When buying clothes from the University of Alabama Supply Store on the day of your orientation, do not ask for a small size. Instead, choose one size larger than what you normally wear. In the middle of the semester, you will realize your love for the extra-large tees and the comfort they provide. Hence, do not waste your hard-earned money on small size tees that you won’t even look at after the beginning of the semester.
7. When signing yourself for the classes on the day of orientation, do not sign up for 8 AM ones. You may feel optimistic about attending the classes but there’s a difference between planning to attend them and attending them in reality. Skipping on these classes will also jeopardize your attendance and some of the classes are mandatory as per college norms. So save yourself from the unnecessary inconvenience and sign up for 9 AM classes instead.
8. You need to take at least 12 credit hours from a total of 17. You may feel motivated to sign up for as many classes as possible but don’t. You will be trapped between the endless numbers of classes. The first semester is all about settling down so avoid getting bogged down with homework and assignments.
9. You must have already decided on the classes you want to attend in the first semester itself. In case you find that your favorite class is already full, do not lose your composure then and there. Sign up for some other class and speak to anyone of your advisers about your willingness to attend one of your favorite classes that are already full. You can also write a note to the professor of that specific class and ask him to notify you if and when there’s an opening.
10. During orientation, you will come across people from all over the country. Some may appear as intelligent or some may seem to be great athletes. Realizing that they are going to be your counterparts can be nerve-wracking. But do not let this overwhelm you or stress you out. You will fare well in the coming four years and you have all the time in the world to plan out your future.