Orientation Experience

Guest blogger: Darryl Farley

Student orientation is one of the most important parts of getting acclimated to the college experience.  Coming from high school you have no idea how the college life is going to be.  In most cases, the experience is not quite like they are portrayed in movies. Having student orientation gives you a better idea of how college really is. In the student orientation you meet other incoming freshmen and a couple of upperclassmen that share their experiences. The orientation staff shows you around the campus, explaining the history of the different buildings and facilities along with the opportunities that the school has to offer. The orientation also welcomes parents to tour the campus and see the place their children will consider their new home for the next four years.

Once you get to the student orientation you will have a lot of feelings and emotions running through your body:  excitement, nervous, freedom and etc. You will be concerned about how you will make friend, but stuck on the fact that you will be leaving home, becoming independent. There is no need to worry about making friends because the student orientation designs ice breaker games to get everybody talking. The students and orientation coordinator gets in a big circle and go around telling their name, where they are from, and what they plan on majoring in. Students realize they have something in common with the other students and they began to talk amongst one another. This game really works because the same people I met in orientation are some of my closest friends today.

                  The student orientation takes you around to freshmen dorms and you are able to see where you will be staying for the school year. They also take you around to the different schools at Tulane such as the A.B. Freeman School of Business, School of Liberal Arts, etc. This give you an idea of where you will be taking majority of your classes and so you won’t be looking lost on the first day of class.

                                                     

                  Take advantage of your orientation experience because it will be something you will never forget. The friends you meet at orientation will be your friends for a lifetime. The education you receive at Tulane will also stick with you for a lifetime.

Study Abroad

Guest blogger: James Couturier

Studying Abroad is something special… An important moment in your student life. It is the moment of many “first times”: it is the first time you leave home, the first time you live on you own, the first time you come to a new country for such a period of time. And what can be a better place to study abroad than New Orleans? I made this choice because I wanted to discover a different side of the United States. And I am really happy with my choice!
As a matter of fact, I am going to tell you what it is like to be an exchange student in New Orleans and I will try to give a quick view of the spots I go in my everyday life.

The first good thing that happened to me is that I arrived the day before the BCS National Championship game between Louisiana State University and University of Alabama. Trust me, if you’re thinking of coming to study in New Orleans, you will need to understand the rules of football.

Furthermore another thing that surprised me when I arrived to New Orleans and also to Tulane, is the kindness of the people in this city. It is incredible to see how friendly and welcoming the people are in New Orleans; in restaurants, in the street-cars, at Tulane, in the street… everywhere. The other day, I was shopping and a woman who worked there told us the best places to listen to jazz. Every time, people find out you are not from New Orleans and they help you find your way and  give advice. If they see you are lost and looking at a map, they will help you.

It will be difficult to talk about New Orleans without mentioning Mardi Gras, the craziest, longest, coolest party in the world. I have been hearing for almost a year “Mardi Gras is great, Mardi is going to be one of the best moments of your life”. And you know what? This is true. It is incredible to see so many people enjoying the exact same moment of the year, seeing all those costumes, all those parades. I learned that almost 2 million people come each year to New Orleans for this event. I found it magical to see all those people throwing beads and decorated shoes, and also watching all the cheerleaders and bands from so many schools and universities.  As everyone told me, it will definitely be a moment that I will never forget.

The “Big-Easy” is also a city full of history, especially for music. Certain people will consider New Orleans as the “Mecca” of Jazz and Blues. You have the possibility to listen to music everywhere. Maple Leaf is a fantastic place for music.  You also have the famous French Quarter. People play in the street but there are also famous music clubs such as the Preservation Hall or the Maison Bourbon Jazz Club.

Finally, the best thing about studying abroad is that you have the opportunity to meet so many great people from all around the world. You make some friends and enjoy the moments you spend with them either in class or during parties. I am sure that I will see some of the people I met here again even after I leave New Orleans. It is enriching to discover new cultures and new people.

Definitely, studying abroad is a something special and I think every student should take advantage of it because it is one of the best moments of my life. But studying abroad wouldn’t be the same if it was not in New Orleans.