50 First Dates: A Guide to Freshman Orientation
No matter who you are or where you’re from, Freshman Orientation will be a week of firsts. This can seem overwhelming initially, but don’t worry! Blog is here (again) to guide you through all the first times you’ll experience each day of Orientation.
Saturday, September 1 Key and ID Pickup8:30 am – 6:30 pm(1) The first time you wait in line at Brown (it won’t be the last). Also, when you finally get to the front of the line and tell them your name, this will be (2) the first time you interact with another non-freshman Brown student. You will feel nervous and like they’re a million years old even though they’re probably, like, nineteen.Campus Tours11:00 am – 4:00 pm(3) The first time you go on a college tour and actually pay attention to where things are. Unfortunately, your mom will still try to ask everyone she sees about their SAT score.First Unit Meeting8:30 pm – 10:00 pm(4) The first time you meet your Unit! This will also be (5) the first time you’re made to do some kind of weird icebreaker (what kind of kitchen utensil are you?) that’s more likely to create awkward silences and generate weird nicknames (that’s spork-guy) than break the ice.Plus, (6) the first time you put a fellow student who is not your roommate’s name and number into your phone and (7) your first crush at Brown will be the best-looking person at this meeting. You’ll see them around for the rest of the semester, but nothing will be able to beat that first-night-of-college-and-you’re-the-first-mildly-attractive-person-I’ve-seen allure.New Student Ice Cream Social 10:00 pm – 12:00 am(8) The first time you are overwhelmed by the sheer number of people in your grade. Also, (9) the first time you’ve ever been too nervous to really enjoy free ice cream.
Saturday Night(10) Your first college pregame! This will be the first time you gather in that guy from your Unit’s room and awkwardly pass around a bottle of alcohol someone’s parents bought for them and try to talk about something other than where you’re from or your potential concentration. This is (11) the first time you drink in college but you stay within your comfort level because your parents are still in Providence and they’re coming to your room at nine tomorrow to help you finish unpacking.
Sunday, September 2This morning will be (12) the first time you go to CVS/ The Bookstore to get toiletries or a fan or other supplies. Your parents will get something embarrassing at the Bookstore. You will buy (13) your first Brown sweatshirt that you wear as a college student.Engaging Diversity: Sharing our stories and Unit Discussion 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm(14) The first time you feel really impressed by your fellow students.Unit Dinner 5:00 pm – 7:00 pmEw, this is (15) your first time in the Ratty. At first you will be impressed by the size and the number of selections. You will end up eating French fries and pizza and soft-serve ice cream, but it’s okay because it’s your first time in the Ratty. This will become increasingly unacceptable over the course of the semester.
First-Year Festival9:30 pm – midnightYou and your roommate don’t really know anyone else at this point, so you head to the first-year festival together and this will be (16) the first time you guys bond. Even if you don’t end up getting along the rest of the year, you’ll always cherish that person who went to go eat donuts on a string with you the second day of orientation. This may also be (17) the first time you text another freshman whose number you got during your Unit meeting or the ice cream social “hey what r u up to” at the festival.Midnight Organ Recital12:00 am – 1:30 am(18) The first time you regret skipping an Orientation event (Please go to the Midnight Organ Recital. Even if you feel like it’s too late or you’re too drunk… it’s worth it).
Monday September 3First Readings Seminar9:00 am – 10:20 am, 10:30 am – 11:50 am(19) The first time you get confused using ASK, and (20) the first time you get lost trying to find an academic building at Brown. This is also (21) the first time the first readings book will be relevant, and (22) the first time you’ll hear the phrase "just jumping off of that idea..."Academic Expo3:00 pm – 4:30 pm(23) The first time you reconsider your concentration. Depending on which kind of crisis you begin to have, you go back to your room and either add a bunch of random Anthropology classes to your cart, or register for Principles of Econ and Intro Neuro.Games on the Green and Tie Dye3:00 pm – 4:30 pm(24) The first time you just chill on the Main Green and think about how pretty Brown is. Also, (25) the first time you remember to text your parents.Promoting a Culture of Community Consent and Care5:00 pm – 6:15 pm, 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm, 8:00 pm – 9:15 pm(26) The first time you have to pay attention during Orientation. (Just kidding. But actually, pay attention).Art Gallery Mocktail Party 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm(27) The first time you go to Andrews (unless you live there, in which case lucky you) and, (28) the first time you have a cookie pizza. (29) The first time you realize that maybe eating an entire slice of cookie pizza by yourself, and then drinking copious amounts of liquid, isn’t the best idea.The Annual Orientation Dance10:30 pm – 1:00 am(30) The first time you pregame heavily with your Unit/ the people you’ve been texting since the Ice Cream Social. (31) The first time you realize that even though you’re in college now, you’re still not too cool for this kind of thing. Potentially the night you have (32) your first random make-out on the dance floor.
Tuesday, September 4Academic Advising Group Meeting and Individual Meetings with Academic Advisors9:00 am – 3:00 pm(33) The first time you meet your advisor. Either they will be amazing and you’ll want to take all of their classes and get all of their advice, or they will be an Art professor who can’t tell you anything about the Biochemistry concentration you want to pursue.Opening Convocation 4:00 pm(34) The first time you walk through Van Wickle Gates! And (35) the first time you take a picture at Brown (with your Unit, standing in front of the Gates). This might even be (36) the first Insta you post at college. After convocation will be (37) the first time it all hits you, and you will call your parents/ high school friend and talk to them for like two hours.Online Registration 7:00 pm – 11:59 pm(38) The first time you register for classes. The first time you try to use an override code will definitely be (39) the first time you have a mental breakdown and question whether you’re smart enough to use this website.Unit Meeting 8:00 pm – 10:00 pmThe second time you see your mysterious Unit Crush and, (40) the first time you realize that they weren't that attractive after all.
Wednesday, September 5 First Day of Classes (41) Your first class at Brown! During this first class, you will take detailed notes and not go on Facebook or check your phone once. Today will be (42) the first time you ask someone to grab lunch between classes, and also (43) the first time you ask someone in class “hey are you a freshman?” in an effort to make class friends.Brown’s Amazing Race6:00 pm – 8:00 pm(44) The first time you get lost trying to find a non-academic building at Brown.Arts and Crafts8:00 pm – 10:00 pmGo pick up a free doorstop.Wednesday NightWednesday will be (45) the first time you meet up with a giant group of other freshmen and go back to Keeney/ wander Thayer street in search of a party. Tonight is also the night for (46), the first time you get really really drunk at Brown, partly because your parents are finally gone and partly just to prove that you can.
Thursday, September 6Fall Activities Fair 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm(47) The first time you hear about things like Pirate Acapella or Quidditch club, and think to yourself, wow, Brown’s pretty weird (but in a good way).
Friday, September 7Brown’s Got Talent8:00 pm – 10:00 pmThe second time you will be impressed by your classmates’ abilities (and confidence!)Friday Night(48) Your first Friday night. Following a pregame in the most social kid on your floor’s dorm room with your roommate, the two of you will either descend upon a sports house party with a swarm of fellow freshman, or keep it simple with a good old dorm party in either Andrews or Keeney.
Saturday, September 8Unit Rally4:00 pm – 6:00 pm(49) The first time you use paint and scissors and other summer-camp things in college. You finally muster the courage to talk to your Unit Crush, and for some reason now you’re looking forward to Unit Wars.
Sunday, September 9 Unit Wars 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm(50) The first time you lick watermelon off the floor (hopefully).
Congratulations! You survived Orientation. Here’s to a lot more firsts this year at Brown.Images via Ebba Brunnstrom '19, via, via, via, via.