information orientation

Hastentoadd

I picked this up from a post many years ago but the post is valid for parents and kids still today. For those searching for accommodation in Limerick, well I know this may be a bit late but I suggest that you go to daft.ie and register for alerts for accommodation within the Castletroy area. I know its very stressful, as the timeline is so short

Watch me leave out something totally important. Just pay attention to the twenty or so words in bold text if you're short on time. That's the necessary list.

Day 1:

Welcome session in the main concert hall. That always comes first, it'll be the college president giving you the hello if you're starting on Wednesday or Thursday. On Tuesday it'll be the college veep/registrar. You'll be sorted into groups of about 10 based on your course. That'll be a long affair as people in the same course don't sit next to each other as they don't know each other. This part would be half an hour shorter if everyone was psychic. Unfortunately no-one is but it's nice to be welcomed by the president as while the current guy is quite approachable, you might not see him again until you graduate.

Somewhere in here is the compulsory parent-dumping for the tiny number of poor souls whose parents come with them and want to follow them around for the day. Your tour guide (see below) will either give them the slip on your behalf or very politely tell them to go away as they're getting in the way of the rest of their child's life. Or something in between.

Campus tour. Your group will have a tour guide. They'll take you round the campus. If your tour guide is professional (and we all hope he/she will be) they'll show you all the sights and main places you need to go to, won't lose you and will remember to give you all their mobile number in case you get lost and can't find them. They will at least have the cop-on to give you their name loudly and clearly so that someone else can find them for you if you can't. There was a very high level of applications for the jobs this year so they should all be good and professional. When your tour guide gives his/her name, remember it. You won't need to remember their surname but if you get lost, a first name and your course should be enough for people to find your group for you. Your tourguide may be someone who's doing your course or they may not be. Ask them if they are.

You'll have to enrol. This will mean going to a big hall (block E, floor G, room 10, so it's called EGO-10) and telling people that you're there. You'll have to have the forms they sent you in the post signed and completetd in advance where appropriate (except for the one that tells you not to sign it with anything other than the special magic pen when you get to UL. Don't sign that one). Make sure you have applicable fees paid. Bring all associated documentation that you should bring, the forms have been sent to you. When they're taking your photo, it's the one you'll get stuck with for four years. Keep this in mind when you're grinning like an ape. If all goes well, this will be short. If something breaks down, it will be long and painful so if your campus tour suddenly becomes longer, you'll know that something has broken down. Incidentally, you will still have to register after this in week 1. You enrol for university, then every term you register for your modules. They'll fine you if you don't, so it's important. If you need a form completed and stamped for children's allowance (lots of you will want this) they don't stamp these until week 2 of term. This is not a problem, in fact it's easier for you so put your parent's minds at rest if they're worried about it.

You'll have a course meeting, where you will meet faculty members from your course and possibly be given your timetable and tutorial details. You will have an advisor meeting, where your assigned academic advisor will have a chat with all of you. I couldn't think of anything hilarious to say about these, they are important but boring. A small number of courses will have garda vetting (this only applies if it is a course where there will be involvement with children AFAIK).

Day 2:

You will have a Students' Union welcome session in the concert hall. The welfare officer has said you may need to go to this to get your free tickets for whatever free gig is on (see below). There may be fun, frolics and in olden days people used to give out free condoms and show people how to put a condom on a cucumber. Which is good if you're afraid of pregnancy by marauding cucumber. Putting a condom on a cucumber with your teeth, now that's impressive(ish).

There's something else called "day2 Activity Sign Up". I don't know what this is so I have nothing even hinted-amusing to say about it. Campus clubs and societies are doing things every afternoon during Orientation Week, so it may be associated with this.

There's also a free gig or two during the week. Don't know anything about who, where or when but I'm sure one of the SU peeps can tell you.


All of these things are important. The most important of all of these important things is to enrol. That's why I've included the room number.

I'll probably just redirect anyone else who asks the same question to this thread so thanks for starting it

Ave Sodalis

Hastentoadd wrote:

Campus tour. Your group will have a tour guide. They'll take you round the campus. If your tour guide is professional (and we all hope he/she will be) they'll show you all the sights and main places you need to go to, won't lose you and will remember to give you all their mobile number in case you get lost and can't find them. They will at least have the cop-on to give you their name loudly and clearly so that someone else can find them for you if you can't. There was a very high level of applications for the jobs this year so they should all be good and professional. When your tour guide gives his/her name, remember it. You won't need to remember their surname but if you get lost, a first name and your course should be enough for people to find your group for you. Your tourguide may be someone who's doing your course or they may not be. Ask them if they are.

Just a note on this, your guide has set places to be at set times with the group. She or he may skip some unimportant places if crowds keep them held up but otherwise, they have to go and sign in at their set places.
Usually the only people to get lost are those not paying attention or think they're too cool for orientation. You get a card with your guides name and number on it in case you get lost anyway, and your guide usually has a badge with their name and photo on it anyway, in case you didn't hear/forget their name.
The guide will take you to enrol at their given time. It may be half way through the orientation tour so don't run off afterwards. Same with lunch (take money to buy this).