According to Webster's Dictionary, to ORIENT is to set or arrange in any determinate position especially in relation to the points of the compass: to ascertain the bearings of.

As this year's International Student Orientation comes to an end, I've been thinking about why orientation can be so critical to a student's success. For students who are arriving in a new country, or leaving for a study abroad program, "getting your bearings" is an important part of preparing for a truly life changing experience.

Many international students have told me that some of the strongest memories of their time at the UW were from orientation activities. It's easy to understand why - each day brings another opportunity to make new friends, try new things, and learn something about our culture.

If you were a new student this year, I hope you have many good memories from this year's orientation events. If you are preparing to study abroad, I hope you consider your FIUTS orientation an opportunity to ask any questions you have as you embark on your amazing adventure.

Remember, also, that FIUTS events, including Wednesday Lunch, community potlucks, and our weekly calendar of activities are an excellent way of "orienting yourself" to our world by meeting people from across the globe - I hope you'll join us soon!

Era Schrepfer,
FIUTS Executive Director
era@fiuts.org.