BLOGS

Freshmen Orientation has two purposes: one to welcome new students into their next stage in life, and another serves as the best starter to get students back into the whole college groove.  Each year has seen a flood of new faces, and this year is no exception.

Just seeing 4 days of the freshmen orientation at CMU-Q puts into perspective all the things that we went through when we came in as freshmen. That’s probably the reason why many choose to volunteer to help out – gives a good opportunity to meet the new faces. Along with the freshmen, we also have 3 exchange students who have chosen to venture out to this desert oasis.

I’ve seen the freshmen taking part in their scavenger hunt, decrypting the clues that lead them to another. They’d think that it would be a wild goose chase across the entire building, but it’s also teaching them a way to remember the places when classes begin. Did I mention that they even had to improvise a fashion show? Making clothes out of simple fabrics, stapler pins, paper clips, scissors, and all the creativity to accompany it. All this in the backdrop of Ramadan as neither food nor drinks was served during the day. Luckily, they got to have their evening iftar with the students – a very traditional one that involved rice and chicken. I was invited to it, and I think I was the only one to eat with my bare hands.

Just seeing how much new students step up as they enter the next chapter of their lives shows a lot about the influence of higher education. I can easily say that we will see brighter minds compete to enter this community that we students will continually foster and nurture for many years, even as I graduate to become an alumni. Education City is a home away from home, but it’s also a journey where we all come together part of this multi-versity community.

Welcome to the future of education, and we invite you to join us!

- Yasser Khan