The Students are Here!

All 61 students arrived yesterday. 40 girls, 21 boys, and each brought approximately 2 parents/ friends/ siblings. This meant that approximately 180 people were shuffled through the registration process, and the dorms. They got their students moved in and set up for a semester. I, along with two other graduate students were responsible for meeting, greeting, and directing 120 of those people from 9am until 5pm. They're walking around, still have the stars in their eyes and are all interested in making new friends and finding their place here.

Looking at this from the perspective as a student this is perhaps what the day might have gone like:

5am: Wake up and drive for about 6-10 hours. You planned to sleep during this time but you can't because you're so excited.
11am: Still with mom, dad, and little brother walk around and register. Lots of forms and paper pushing which mom sorted out before you even got here. You and your parents gawk open mouthed at the facility
noon: Lunch time! Eat lunch with other students and their families. Feel overwhelmed
1pm: Health screening! For 15 minutes talk to the nurse, potentially about embarrassing things you might have such as asthma, your medications, and have to listen to your mom say 'I don't feel comfortable with you giving my child such and such'
1:30: Go see your room! Be greeted by a graduate fellow (me!) and be shown your room, be asked the usual questions "do you have any contraband items?" or my personal favorite "do you have any questions" and while you're trying to process the HUGE amount of information that is in your head and thinking of a good one your mom instead says 'I have some."
1:30-2pm: Take a tour of the building with mom while dad and little brother lug things upstairs and pile them in no semblance of order outside your room completely in the way. Your mom is asking lots of embarrassing questions which you don't care about like 'where is the laundry?' 'can they cook?' 'What will the food be like?' or making statements like 'oh hunny look! a drying rack so you can air dry your bras!'
2-3pm: Mom helps you unpack your things, she makes your bed nice (the ONLY time it will look like this), puts your toothbrush in the toothbrush holder, and folds the clothes in the drawer. Dad and little brother are sitting on the common area couches.
3-5pm: During this time you're all unpacked, and now lots of other girls have arrived and they want to meet you, to talk to you. Your parents and little brother are going to tour the facility and make you know where you're going. They also leave during this time.
After they leave and before anything else happens: You're stuck. You don't know anyone. You try to be nice, cool and accepting during this time. You look at the other girls dorms and assess their sense of style by what they're wearing and how they've decorated their rooms.
5-7pm You do an opening ice breaker with the whole group which makes everyone feel uncomfortable, awkward and potentially a little inadequate. You eat dinner and everyone makes small talk with each other.
After that opening ceremony and bed!

While looking at it from this perspective the kids are still on information overload and we're trying to squeeze in as much as we can. They still walk around with stars in their eyes, they don't see themselves as part of place yet and they're curious to get the year started. I could see myself in the students. When I was a freshman in college I remembered leaving my parents and having that same scared but excited look on my face. I'm looking forward to seeing how these students learn and grow throughout the semester.