Things are a-hoppin’ over here
New Deac Week is in full swing – activities wrapping up this afternoon for parents and families of the new ’23s and transfer students. And not long after new families head home, it will be time for our ’22s, ’21s, and ’20s to arrive!
This morning, our new (or transfer) students met with their academic advisers as a group. Typically that is ten students, one faculty/staff adviser, and a student adviser. The first meeting is an opportunity to get to know each other, cover some of the basic information about our curriculum and requirements, and to talk about how to be successful at Wake. It is a lot of info to take in all at once. Tomorrow, students will have 1-on-1 meetings with their academic adviser and student adviser. This will be a time to talk specifics of their schedule, etc.
A lot of new families’ time this afternoon was spent in the Benson University Center. You might have noticed that as you enter on the third floor (aside: sort of a misnomer that the ‘ground’ floor up the big outside stairs is actually 3rd floor) that there are a ton of flags in the Benson rotunda. Those flags represent all the home countries of our students. So if you are a foreign student, there is always at least this one place on campus where you can see your flag – which I think is very cool.
I also want to give a huge shout out to our international students and their families. College is hard enough when it’s in your native language and home country. I remember how hard it was for me during my semester abroad to be speaking and writing 100% in a foreign language – and that was just for a semester. So to all our international students who are far from home, and their parents and families who love them, I applaud your bravery in tacking college abroad.
To our domestic students, I would urge you to make a special effort to welcome our international students and include them in your social gatherings. Ask them to lunch or coffee, or to join you at a New Deac Week event. Domestic parents and loved ones, if you come back for Family Weekend, be aware that we may have international (or domestic) students whose families cannot be there that weekend, and include them in your dinners out. That could really help a student who has to fly solo feel the kindness of a family at a time they might be especially homesick.
To close out the day, here is a weather-related change that was just announced for tomorrow evening’s activities; read it here. (This applies only to students, not families, since your events conclude tonight.) As I type this (around 3:45 pm), a big thunderstorm has rolled in. The skies are very, very dark, and there is a lot of rain.
For all P’23s who are traveling home tonight or tomorrow morning, I wish you safe travels. Please know we will do our very best for your Deacs 🙂
— by Betsy Chapman ’92, MA ’94