Title: Behind New Student Orientation Are Seniors Who Help Break the College Ice

Chih-Rong Kuo’s (C’27) first day at Georgetown was a shock to her system. 

She touched down at Washington National Airport after a 22-hour flight from Hong Kong. Lugging two suitcases packed with four years of belongings, she set off for the Hilltop. 

Upon arriving, she felt overwhelmed: from culture shock, from the stress of finding a phone plan and new bedding, from the loneliness of not knowing anyone. 

“I think that first night I cried in my room,” Kuo said.

Five days later, after New Student Orientation (NSO) – a five-day introduction to Georgetown for first-year students – Kuo felt differently. 

“There was a distinct moment when we were all in someone’s dorm room together, sitting on the floor and playing cards. I was like, ‘This feels like family. This feels like my home for the next four years,’” she said. “It was almost like a premonition of, ‘I think I’ll be okay.’”

Corey Madison (C’27), a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, remembers a similar feeling at NSO his first year.

“I know people say being thrown into the fire as an analogy. I wouldn’t say it’s fire here. It’s like being thrown onto pillows or something like that,” he said. “It’s such a supportive community that feels very welcoming, and it’s like you’re where you’re supposed to be.”

Four years later, Madison and Kuo are now part of the driving force behind NSO. With two other coordinators, they train 26 student team leaders and 150 orientation advisors (OAs) to meet with small groups of first-years, answer questions and connect. They’ve also mapped out orientation activities, like the welcome night in Cooper Field and excursions around DC. 

Go behind the scenes with Kuo and Madison as they prepare for this year’s move-in and help incoming Hoyas find a soft landing at Georgetown.

Finding Support at NSO

Chih-Rong Kuo is a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences studying philosophy and justice and peace with a minor in economics.

My NSO Experience: I was very nervous. NSO was the first time I interacted with anyone from campus. I tried to be involved in everything because I was afraid to be alone. But there were always people who were in the same boat. I also badgered [my OA] with a lot of questions, because I was new to the U.S. There were so many people there to help. I think that’s very unique about Georgetown. You don’t have to make use of those resources, but they’re there, and they make themselves known.

At the end of NSO, I remember having a set of people I was walking around and hanging out with. My roommate and a few people from my OA group looked for our classrooms and navigated it together.

Why I joined the NSO team: When you first enter campus, you see these OAs cheering and hanging out in their spare time. You can tell that they’re still friends. I wanted to be part of that fun. I wanted to be part of that culture. 

What I want new students to know: Even though NSO is there for you during the first few weeks of your career, it doesn’t mean that your Georgetown experience has to be shaped by the things that you do in your first few weeks. There is a lot of growth and a lot of room for mistakes. I don’t want anyone to feel like they need to pursue a certain path immediately. This is a time for exploration. College is a time for trying things and making mistakes and being OK with that.

My favorite icebreaker: One of our grad assistants always asked, “Would you rather be a sea creature, a land creature or a sky creature?” I would say, “I’d be a sky creature, because I feel kind of like a migratory bird. I go between two countries, and I’d like to have the benefits of the land, but I’d also like to be able to see the world and travel around.” 

Finding Friends Through NSO

Corey Madison is a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences majoring in American studies and English. This summer, he interned on the corporate partnerships team at DC United. He brought these skills to Georgetown, working with local businesses to advertise and donate to NSO.

My NSO Experience: I had done the Community Scholars Program, so I’d already been familiar with the campus, but I had no clue what NSO was like. I drove down with my dad and saw all the people outside yelling. I rolled down the window, and I got baited into the classic, “Tell me your name!” all that good stuff welcoming me to the Hilltop. I’m the first in my family to go to college, so it was a very big moment, a lot of excitement. 

You’re thrown right into NSO very quickly, but it’s such a supportive community that it feels very welcoming, and it’s like you’re where you’re supposed to be. NSO does a really good job of forcing you to meet people. I met friends for life during that first week of school. 

Why I joined the NSO team: I want to make sure every person who comes to Georgetown has the opportunity to feel at home, that they have friends here, and they can enjoy their four years and really make the most of it. 

Georgetown’s genuinely a place that I love very, very, very dearly. I think people will ultimately have a better college experience if they have friends for the first couple of months that will help them get through the hardest times of college, which I think are the first couple of months. It only gets easier after that.

What I want new students to know: Be excited. Being a new student and especially away from home for the first time is challenging. But I think that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s a good thing. This is how you grow as a person and get to do new stuff. It’s literally the entire point of college. 

College is great for getting a career and a job. But in my opinion, the point of college is to meet new people, grow as a person, and develop into an adult in a safe environment in which, if you make a mistake, it’s not the end of the world. So take advantage of the opportunities you have while you’re here, especially your first year.

My favorite icebreaker is: What’s your song of the week? I’m always listening to music, and I always have a new song of the week. My song of the week this week has been ‘Close to You’ by Pink Pantheress. It may be my song of the month, actually.