Scared Student's Question has Response lost in the Mail...

A very sad thing happened to me today, and I would like to tell everyone about it. I received a frantic question through the Q&A service today, and I typed up my response, and it turns out the person's email was incorrect and the message couldn't be delivered. Therefore, on the off-chance that they read the Vitamin A blog, I will post their question and my response here, and hope that they see it. If the person who asked the question happens to see it, please let me know, and I will sleep easy. Also, maybe other students have the same question, and this will help them. I'm always looking out for you guys, you should know this. 

Q. OH. MY. GOD. I am SOOOO scared of the UOFA!!!! It will be such a big big campus and I will get so lost and confused and i'm stressin to the max, man help me plZ!!! 

A. The best thing I can possibly suggest to deal with your concerns is to come to Orientation 2009. At Orientation, you will receive a campus tour (to deal with your fear of the large and confusing campus), as well as a variety of informational seminars regarding the ins-and-outs of University life. Topics addressed include Academics, Student Life, Security on Campus, University Etiquette and Community Involvement. I'm not sure whether you have already registered for Orientation (since the Q&A question box is placed in a variety of locations, including the Registration page), but if you haven't, I highly recommend it. Also important to Orientation is the over 6000 new students, with exactly the same concerns as you. Some people stay friends with people they meet at Orientation throughout their academic lives.

Another resource available to you is the Vitamin A program, run by the very same people that put on Orientation. Vitamin A consists of four programs that will help you get to know campus and the people around you, and ensure that they continue their U of A career with great success. Vitamin A Campus Connection is a mixed group of students in various years that meet monthly for networking, recreation and leisure events. Senior students are drawn from a variety of areas on campus and can help new students find their place in the campus community. This is also a great way to meet new friends outside of Orientation, and to attend events directed by the interests of all participating students, such as trips to West Edmonton Mall or other areas of Edmonton, or movie nights. If you think Vitamin A Campus Connections is a good fit for you, please email me, or visit www.su.ualberta.ca/connection for more information. The Vitamin A Passport Program rewards students for attending events around campus. Events range from athletic to cultural, and students have the opportunity to win fantastic prizes. This is a great way to find activities to balance your academics with, such as Studio Theater, or Athletic games, and to be rewarded for doing so. For more information, please visit www.su.ualberta.ca/passport and let me know whether you would like to be added to the Vitamin A Passport Program monthly newsletter, which tells you about all of the things that are happening on campus. The Vitamin A Seminar Program is a series of informational seminars presented by various services around campus on a variety of topics with the aim of improving student's success at the U of A. We are also planning seminars for schedule building as well as stress management for students concerned with balancing their social lives with their academic lives. For more information and to see the schedule of seminars, please visit www.su.ualberta.ca/seminars. The last program is the one that you are utilizing right now, the Q&A. For more information about the Vitamin A Program, please visit the Vitamin A Website, at www.su.ualberta.ca/vitaminA, the Vitamin A blog, at www.UASUvitaminA.blogspot.com, or become a fan on Facebook. 

I have only outlined two things that will help you find you place in the campus community, and there are tons of other options as well. Do your research at clubs fair during Orientation about Student groups you might want to join, or Services you might want to volunteer for. Get out there and do your research, because there are so many exciting and fulfilling opportunities available to you.

Above all, you are not alone in your concerns. The questions that you have are common to most, if not all University students, but what is not common is that you are asking your questions early, and preparing for what is to come. This already puts you at an advantage.