Freshman experience begins during move-in week

Signs that new students are arriving were all over campus Wednesday.\nThese students were meeting their new roommates for the first time, buying books for their first classes and starting their new life as Hoosiers.\n"They have a lot on their plates right now," said senior Jason Dudich, president of the Residence Hall Association. "But it's a good experience for them."\nThis is Welcome Week, when RHA and Residential Programs and Services have many activities planned to get students settled into campus. These activities include Traditions and Spirit of IU, designed to get students excited about IU athletics, and Midnight Madness, where buses take students to local stores from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. free of charge.\nDudich reminded new students that although everything they experience this week will be overwhelming, eventually life at IU will seem normal.\n"Don't think that you have to do everything at once," Dudich said. "It will all die down in a week or two."\nOne of the biggest hassles during the first week is meeting a new roommate. Director for Residential Operations Bob Weith said his staff tries to handle any situations that might arise.\n"I would anticipate there will be some roommate problems that we hope our staff can work through," he said.\nOne way to alleviate these conflicts is through the roommate agreements all dorm residents must sign this week, under the mediation of their resident assistants. This agreement tackles such issues as telephone messages, studying habits and cleanliness.\n"It forces the action," Weith said.\nHe also encouraged new students to get out and meet their neighbors, especially because many students are from small towns and this is their first time living in a place as big as IU.\n"We hope that they don't close their doors in this day of everybody being on their computers," he said. "We would like it if they'll be assertive about meeting each other face to face."\n"Beyond getting out and mingling and being tolerant, we have a lot of folks who have come from somewhat closed communities," Weith said, stressing tolerance of people different than themselves.\nSecond-year student Erin Ransford, president of Foster Quad, who was also an orientation assistant, said they had a constant stream of people moving in today with very few problems. She said last year when she was getting acquainted with IU, she tried to just "take it easy."\n"This was the most stressful week in the whole world for me," Ransford said. "I didn't know what was going on."\nRansford said in Foster their resident assistants are helping students feel comfortable in their new home.\n"Our RA staff is wonderful," she said. "They all just seem really friendly and outgoing, and I think they are going to do an excellent job welcoming our residents."\nAnother issue many new students will be facing for the first time on a large level is the presence of alcohol and safety in general. Both RHA and RPS are taking steps to help new students deal with these things.\n"Pay close attention to safety issues," Weith said. "There's a bunch of partying that happens this time of year, and women in particular don't know the ropes.\n"Be careful with alcohol. Everybody knows it's out there, everybody know it's getting used and that there are some problems that go along it. Be safe in judgement and decisions."\nClick here for a list of Welcome Week events.