O-Week
Orientation week, or commonly known amongst students as “O-Week”, is an exciting time for first- year and transfer students who are new to Chapman’s campus! Usually taking place a week before classes start, Chapman sets up multiple days filled with super fun events to get to know your peers and the campus better! It is broken up to about four days and you are assigned an “OL” or orientation leader to help guide you through the entire week leading up to the first day of classes! You are also grouped with students who are within the same major as you, so hopefully you’ll have some classes in common and will have a buddy to sit next to on the first day of class!
Usually for first-year students, your parents will be with you for the first day of O-Week. There is a very touching ceremony after the end of day one where you say your goodbyes to your family as you begin your life as a college student! The following days are filled with “get-to-know- you” activities and vital information that will help you succeed on Chapman’s campus! The OL’s take a lot of time to prepare presentations for their students during the four days. These presentations include what to expect within your major, what classes are required to take for your major, where to find certain student services such as the health center, and much more! They even take you on an official tour of the campus so you are not lost on your first day.
During O-Week, all students must participate in the “Healthy Panther” Program. This program is a mandatory event that educates students on the risks of drinking alcohol and drugs and the dangerous side effects they can have on the mind and body. During this program, students will also be educated and warned about sexual assault and the importance of consent. Though the campus is well aware that under-aged drinking occurs, they are more concerned about your safety and well-being. They offer services such as a shuttle that can take you anywhere within 3 miles of campus as well as make you more aware of our public safety on campus or “P-Safe” as the students like to call them.
O-Week is a really exciting time to get to know the people around you as well as the campus! Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone just a little bit. Initiate conversation and participate in the activities! It’ll make your experience that much better! Just remember that O-Week is a time to prepare yourself for the beginning of college, so have as much fun as you possibly can! If you want to learn more about O-Week or find the specifics of each day you can visit the website linked below!
