Orientation Rage

I've been manning orientation week (O-Week) here for the past few days, and I have to say that it's been a great time. But there is one group of people that I can't stand. And those people are driving me up the wall.

It's the parents. Now, I realize that not all parents are like this. But it's a sizable portion and it's those that I'm complaining about. They just don't realize that we host orientation for the students, not for them and however many family members they want to bring with them (I directed a group of 14 the other day). Orientation is meant to make students comfortable with their new environment and get them acclimated to each other. Our goal is to separate them quickly from their parents to make sure they have enough time to get used to their new community. But when parents demand to eat lunch with their kids, try to make friends for them, and decide what the student is going to do in their first year, it takes away from the student's ability to join a new community.

Personally, I have to act differently around my parents that I do around my friends (though that's slowly changing). So when a parent hangs around their kid for their entire stay we don't get to know who the student really is.

But as someone who has to direct traffic and just be generally helpful, parents drive me up the wall. Students usually know what to do. They are happy to join their new friends and go places (for the most part). They want to explore. But when there are parents, it becomes the mommy or daddy show. They need to protect poor, little Jonny from the temptations of the outside world. And if anything is wrong they must address it to some sort of authority instead of realizing that I, as a volunteer, can't really do anything but give encouragement and directions. And then I get yelled at.

In short, I hate parents right now. What's even worse is that they're still around. Convocation was supposed to be the last time I had to deal with them. Nope. Still here, still taking over their kid's life, still being incompetent with basic directions and instructions.

But otherwise O-Week has been great. I love hanging out with the new people and I really like seeing my old friends. I even like setting things up. Makes me feel productive. It's been a great time except for the parents.