By JON MAN
Moving away from home and entering college is a scary and intimidating experience for almost any 18-year-old. But for many of the approximately 1,000 BYU freshmen starting school this term, the transition from high school to college was made a little easier through Y-groups, workshops and other activities held this past weekend.
Approximately 600 freshmen attended the weekend activities, said Jeanie Moffitt, a senior from San Jose, Calif., who worked on the new student orientation team.
On Friday, the freshmen were divided into Y-groups, which are designed to allow students to make new friends and get involved in some activities.
“I really enjoyed the Y-groups. They got us involved right away, and I was able to make some new friends,” said Scott McWhorter, a freshman from Haughton, La., majoring in zoology.
“They were really fun,” said Aaron Lewis, a freshman from San Dimas, Calif., majoring in business. “They helped us feel more comfortable and we got to meet new people.”
The freshmen who came to orientation were divided into 32 Y-groups. Not only did the Y-group leaders take their groups to activities organized by the Student Leadership Involvement Center, but they organized informal activities, too, such as devotionals and hikes to the Y.
Friday’s activities ended with the “Friday Night Extravaganza,” which included a dance, giant twister and the dating game.
On Saturday, new students attended some workshops designed to inform them about the campus and BYU’s curriculum. The “Saturday Night Finale” concluded the weekend’s activities with another dance, games and a performance by The Garrens comedy troupe.
“The activities were good because I think all the freshmen got a good taste of BYU and it gave them a chance to let it loose before classes started,” Moffitt said. “It also gave them a chance to meet new people and feel a part of the campus community.”
Although the freshmen orientation did help many to adjust to BYU, feelings of anxiety still exist.
“I don’t know how the classes are yet,” said Leah Pickren, a freshman from Boston, Mass. “So the only thing I don’t like at this point is that I’m far away from home.”
McWhorter also said that being away from home has been a big adjustment.
“It was a little scary at first,” he said. “I’ve been to EFY before, and this is nothing like EFY. It’s nothing like high school.”
Some others said they have encountered only minor problems while at BYU.
“My air conditioner doesn’t work, that’s about it,” Lewis said
