Every year, a slew of soon-to-be freshmen, eager to settle in and meet their future classmates, arrive on campus early to participate in pre-orientation programs. Whether they choose Fitness and Individual Development at Tufts (FIT), International Orientation (IO), Freshman Orientation Community Service (FOCUS) or Tufts Wilderness Orientation, the experience is commonly described as an unforgettable one.
Freshman Alex Dennett was unsure about whether to leave home early and participate in FIT. In retrospect, though, she said, it was the perfect introduction to Tufts.
"I wasn't going to do it at first, but now I'm so glad I did," she said. "I get overwhelmed really easily, so doing a pre-orientation was a good way for me to meet people and get to know Tufts without the whole overwhelming feel [of move-in day]."
With activities that range from camping excursions to trips into Boston, these programs are designed to be fun. But activities are only half of the pre-orientation experience. The other half is meeting new people -- the other freshmen, and perhaps more important, the pre-orientation leaders.
Every group of pre-orientation freshmen is assigned a pair of leaders, Tufts students who take time out of their summer vacations to volunteer for the various orientation programs. They work closely with their group throughout the duration of the program and are there to ease the freshmen into college life.
"We are [some] of the few people [the freshmen] initially know at Tufts. We represent Tufts to them for that first few days," said senior Lee Hofrichter, a Wilderness leader. "And it's important for the incoming freshmen to have someone to look up to, to ask questions to, to help them get to know Tufts. [We're] responsible for everyone else having fun."
It's not an easy job. Leading a pre-orientation group requires certain skills as well as a level of commitment. Each program looks for different specifics when selecting leaders. FOCUS looks for those interested in community service and Wilderness for those with a love of the outdoors. But there are general attributes that leaders in all programs must possess.
Assistant Director of Athletics Branwen Smith-King, the head of the FIT pre-orientation program, is currently in the process of selecting new leaders for next year. According to Smith-King, the program coordinators look for a lot more than just leadership skills.
"We definitely look for someone with a passion for Tufts and who can bring some energy and enthusiasm to the program," she said. "We are also looking for diversity in terms of where they're from, their ethnicity, what they're involved in on campus. I want the freshmen to feel that they have somebody they can identify with at some level."
"We look at general personality and openness," said senior Justin Birudavol, a co-coordinator for this year's Wilderness pre-orientation program. "They should be accepting. We also need people who are compatible with all personality types and are able to adapt to new situations quickly."
Birudavol also stressed the importance of commitment.
"We want people who can commit to the length of the program and also the rest of the year. We like them to meet once a week for dinner with their group. It's a chance for them to keep in touch," he said.
The leader selection process typically consists of an application and an interview, but some applicants are willing to go above and beyond to prove their desire for the position. The Wilderness program, especially, is known for having some imaginative leader hopefuls.
"I heard that someone in the past years wore every piece of clothing he owned to the interview. Also, someone this year made a dress out of a tarp and baked cupcakes," said freshman Karrie Larsson, who participated in Wilderness.
Freshman Mike Bernstein, who is currently going through the Wilderness application process, spoke of an even more surprising custom.
"There has been such a history of people showing up naked for their interviews that they had to officially ban it this year," he said.
As for his own crazy scheme to impress the judges?
"I didn't have too much time, but I was able to very quickly put together a slideshow, kind of a lecture per se, to show my character and personality and my love for the Wilderness program," he said.
Granted, not all applicants go to such great lengths, though they may be just as determined to become pre-orientation leaders. And the general application process -- with or without all the extra flair -- has produced good selections thus far; most freshman participants reported only positive experiences with their leaders.
"My group missed the bus a lot, so we ended up having to walk to a lot of places, but my leaders always made it fun," said freshman Kavitha Narra, who participated in FOCUS.
Some freshmen continued to communicate with their leaders even months after the program had ended.
"[My leader] was really good at answering questions," said freshman Lily Chongkamanont, an IO participant. "And even when I run into him now, he asks how I'm doing and is really helpful."
These positive experiences and relationships inspire a number of students every year to apply to become a leader for the next incoming class. And even though leaders are not paid, there are often more applicants than there are positions available.
"We always have more applicants than we can provide space for," Smith-King said of FIT. "Since the first year, [the application process] has always been pretty competitive. It's really difficult because maybe 99 percent of the applicants can be good leaders, but we can't choose everybody," she said.
Some may question why so many want to be pre-orientation leaders, because it is a volunteer position that requires students to cut their summer vacations short and it's a lot of work.
Though she completely enjoyed her FOCUS experience, Narra said she has no desire to become a leader next year.
"It's a hard job," she said. "You really need to have a high energy level all the time, and you need to make sure everyone is taken care of. As much as I liked the program and everything, I don't know if I could do it."
Others, however, relished the opportunity to become leaders.
"I did the program as a freshman and it was great," Hofrichter said. "I became a leader because I wanted to be able to share my experience with the incoming freshmen."
"The first couple of days, you look at these older kids as someone you go to for guidance," Dennett added. "But once those days are up, they become your friends."
