orientation

musical.x

what exactly goes on for these 2 days? i seen it posted on the nuig site that they are on the 11th and 12th of september.

musical.x

RolandIRL

you just get shown around the college, where the comp suites are, where the lecture halls are, and the most important place - the college bar :cool:
you're assigned a mentor as well, just someone you can go to if you're feeling lost or need help.

on the second day, there was some sort of "getting to know one another" thing. i went to it but it wasn't much fun at all. best to go though and get a feel for the college.

not sure if there was anything else on. hope this helps

musical.x

this is going to sound really stupid but what the hey-how will you know where to go in the first place? like there is going to be alot of people there doing all different courses..
is the mentor assigned to a group of people?

thanks though that helps alot

musical.x

RolandIRL

it doesn't sound stupid. you're going to be a first year after all :P just kidding

it'll tell you where to go in your registration handbook you get when you accept the CAO offer. they have you divided by name (A-M at 10am, N-Z at 2pm etc). you will all be doing the same course i think. and a mentor is assigned to a group of people. you'll get a card with his/her email and phone no on it.

i think you might meet up at Aras na Mac Leinn. at least that's where it started for me last year. if you're unsure where it is, ask here for directions when you get your handbook, but there should be a map at the back of it, i think.

Waste of time.

Don't bother.

nobbo

Deleted User wrote: »

Waste of time.

Don't bother.

OP dont listen to this crap, especially since it sounds like ya dont know the college already.

As whiteman said, your shown around the place and you meet other people from your course/college while being shown around. I wouldnt miss this tbh.

Nuggles

College tour pretty much.

Think you'd get as much out of it as a stroll around campus with a friend. Or following the map.

Mentors are there to get paid for two days work. After that I'd say 98% of first years ever hear from them again.

It's not hugely important, you won't miss out on much if you don't go. But if you're nervous about making your way around college it might ease you concerns.

You'll still get lost though, everyone does.

nobbo

OP, if your confused about anything to do with registration, picking subjects(if your course involves that) and anything general to do with the course or starting college ya can ask your mentor. Yes, ya probably never see your mentor again but, for me(someone going to galway not knowing the place), the orientation proved invaluable. Depending on your course, your mentor will show ya what buildings ya will defo have to know.

WesternNight

I did the first day of orientation last year as a first year. Now, I'm sure there are decent mentors around, but we had someone who gave us an hour long tour of parts of the campus that weren't going to be particularly useful to us, as most of us were Arts students...not once did we see the inside of the main concourse or the Arts Millennium building...we saw the Cairnes building where he arsed around trying to look cool by being all "none of ye are going to be allowed to use these computers but look at me, I can!". /rant

To be honest, in general I find it best to find your own way around, it's best for finding your bearings. If you're sociable then maybe get chatting to other first years and have a bit of a tour around yourselves. There are loads of mentors around campus to help if you do get lost or have any questions.

Also, take advantage of any free stuff

musical.x

whiteman19 wrote: »

it doesn't sound stupid. you're going to be a first year after all :P just kidding.

good point

i've actually been to the college before but i left early because the people who were giving tours looked like they would kill ya if you spoke to them :eek:

yeh i've arts put down on my cao so not sure what buildings they usually use for this.

You'll still get lost though, everyone does
:(that sucks ybh.

WesternNight

musical.x wrote: »

yeh i've arts put down on my cao so not sure what buildings they usually use for this.

Pretty much all on the concourse or in the Arts Millennium Building. Tutorials though...you could be anywhere for those!

nobbo

nobbo wrote: »

OP dont listen to this crap.

You listen to an incredibly boring speech from the deen. Smeh.
Are told about all the services provided, most of which, you won't need.

Then, you're put into groups with people in the same departments, not necessarily in the same course. Most of whom, you will never see again.

Stand around for a few mins, whilst the "mentors" talk amongst themselves.

Start, around Aras na Mac Leinn, and are shown, where you will be for your duration in NUIG. Basically, a 2min tour of the campus. . and will have no idea where you are going/remember any of it.

I just thought it was completely wasted time. (Two days of my life, ill never get back. )
You could be doing more interesting things. . like getting a real feel for student life.

Dman001

I thought the whole thing was boring, but it was handy to been shown around the college. You felt less lost when you had an idea of where you were going.

musical.x

right...this isnt shaping up to be a good start to the college
it does sound handy like but sure if your going to get lost anyway its kind of fruitless haha. basically getting put into groups with people your not going to be in the same course with? stupid

musical.x

Nismh080

Do mentors get paid??

Columc

Nismh080 wrote: »

Do mentors get paid??

Las year they did. However I am unsure if they are getting as much or anything this year.

BroFlo

any idea what time it finishes each day??
Thanks:D

RolandIRL

BroFlo wrote: »

any idea what time it finishes each day??
Thanks:D

the mentor tour depends on your mentor and how much they bring you around. my mentor juts brought us to the college bar, the concourse and that was it. other mentors bring ya to the comp suite and show ya blackboard etc.

orientation is only on the saturday afaik. there's a fresher's fair on sunday iirc (at least there was last year). you might have a speech from the dean of your faculty near the end of the day (not sure what time) but it's just a load of rabble.

jefreywithonef

Nismh080 wrote: »

Do mentors get paid??

€100 (Arts mentors anyway).

cereal-killer

musical.x wrote: »

good point

i've actually been to the college before but i left early because the people who were giving tours looked like they would kill ya if you spoke to them :eek:

yeh i've arts put down on my cao so not sure what buildings they usually use for this.

You'll still get lost though, everyone does
:(that sucks ybh.

To be honest,musical, there are some pretty **** mentors out there,but there are also some extremely helpful ones! I'm going to be one myself this year though and I'm planning on being as helpful as I can be as it's really overwhelming for first years..I was lucky and got a lovely mentor last year but you have to make the most of them..talk to them, avail of their services,ye might even end up being friends
It does sound like you're a bit confused about NUIG in general it will be deffo worth it to have a guided look around... If you decide against it make sure you take a library tour sometime in September..or else you will be a complete stressball when you have to start assignments!Your mentor group will be all arts students too, so hopefully there'll be someone there you can make friends with!

The second day of orientation is actually fairly good craic, you've all kinds of games and stuff to do where you collect stickers and there's fairly good prizes , a friend of mine won tickets to the commerce ball last year and another one a netbook

gant0

Sure if your lost just ask someone.There's a great chance you'll meet someone from galway on the first day so they can show you around.

musical.x

cereal-killer wrote: »

To be honest,musical, there are some pretty **** mentors out there,but there are also some extremely helpful ones! I'm going to be one myself this year though and I'm planning on being as helpful as I can be as it's really overwhelming for first years..I was lucky and got a lovely mentor last year but you have to make the most of them..talk to them, avail of their services,ye might even end up being friends
It does sound like you're a bit confused about NUIG in general it will be deffo worth it to have a guided look around... If you decide against it make sure you take a library tour sometime in September..or else you will be a complete stressball when you have to start assignments!Your mentor group will be all arts students too, so hopefully there'll be someone there you can make friends with!

The second day of orientation is actually fairly good craic, you've all kinds of games and stuff to do where you collect stickers and there's fairly good prizes , a friend of mine won tickets to the commerce ball last year and another one a netbook

are you an arts mentor by any chance to be honest i just what the first week to be over. just to settle in and have a jist of where 'm heading like.not to sure about the games tbh. super shy person so not my cup of tea. would be awful embarrased you seem to be pretty sound though good to hear some decent people are trying to help others getting around:)

Columc

How do you become a mentor again? I remember last year i was asked to do it, but cant for the life remember who and how i was asked

QueenOfLeon

Columc wrote: »

How do you become a mentor again? I remember last year i was asked to do it, but cant for the life remember who and how i was asked

Some people were sent out letters, otherwise there was a link on the nuig website. Its closed now though.

suitcase23

So Saturday is useful because you can get a tour/meet others from your course but the Sunday is just "getting to know each other games"? Also what should you bring with you on these days?? Thanks

QueenOfLeon

suitcase23 wrote: »

So Saturday is useful because you can get a tour/meet others from your course but the Sunday is just "getting to know each other games"? Also what should you bring with you on these days?? Thanks

Sunday is kinda getting to know your way around aswel as you can go around to all the different buildings and parts of the campus, but mainly fun games and stuff You don't really need anything specific that you wouldn't have with you anyway (money for food etc), on the Saturday you'll get your course handbook and thats all I remember carrying around with me after it.