Sabeking
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2004
We just dropped DS for his freshman year. The school had four full days of orientation activities planned for the freshman. Some of them were dorm specific, and some were even floor specific. His entire floor was his orientation group. The philosophy was that the kids needed to get to know who they would be living with before branching out and meeting people in their majors or other clubs. While we had parent orientation sessions, we often saw the floor groups walking around campus, following their leader's signs and chanting together. He moved in on Tuesday and when we visited him at the dorm on Friday, he was greeting everyone up and down the hallway and in the elevator as we were going up. However, my DS is a total extrovert and I had no concerns about him making friends and getting involved.
It's a lot more difficult for an introvert to just put themselves out there, but I think your DD will need to make some effort. Rather than sitting in her room watching TV, is there a dorm lounge she could hang out in? That would be a good way to meet other residents, some who may also be looking to make friends. I also thinks it's a good idea email the RA and ask her to help your DD get integrated. Perhaps the RA could invite a few girls to go to the dining hall with her now and then. When classes start, your DD will meet an even wider variety of people. I think she'll do fine!
I know she has things planned today and tomorrow that are school sponsored. I just don't know what they are. I do know she had a meeting today with her peer mentor. Hopefully that went well. She lives in a suite but there is no common lounge on their floor. She has a freshman seminar once a week with other girls from her dorm, so hoping that will help as well. I do think they are keeping them busy the next few days so they don't have time to sit and think too much. She is only a few hours away from us and said she would be home probably week after next for the weekend. I am excited to see her but I also want her to stay there and meet people. Do I force the issue and encourage her to stay or keep my mouth closed?