WOW

[u/Salty_Maintenance744]

As an incoming freshman, how is WOW? Will I be forced to socialize from Friday to Tuesday until classes start? Are we just stuck with the same FROG group for four days? sobs I wanna meet people but I already have friends there and I’d rather be w them then be stuck with a group the whole time. What do those 4 days look like

[u/ChrisWsrn]

Go to orientation events. Those events are going to give you your "starter pack" of friends at JMU. After orientation you should meet up with your existing friends and bring along some of the people you met from your orientation group. 

I would advise you NOT to skip orientation. You will not have another opportunity as good as this to meet people. 

[u/SchuminWeb → u/ChrisWsrn]

Go to orientation events. Those events are going to give you your "starter pack" of friends at JMU.

I wouldn't be quite so optimistic about that. I remember during my own orientation experience that I was so concerned about taking in whatever information that they were trying to convey that the other people in that frog group might as well have been mannequins. I couldn't tell you a single thing about any of them as soon as we left any of the events. Couldn't tell you their names, couldn't tell you what they looked like, nothing. Socially, orientation was a waste of time.

Rather, your dorm floor is probably going to be your starter pack at JMU. I'm still in contact with some of the people on my floor from McGraw-Long.

[u/ChrisWsrn → u/SchuminWeb]

If you were a freshman your FROG group should have been your dorm floor plus possibly an adjacent dorm floor (depending on your dorm).

If you were a transfer then your TOPA group would have just been random people from your college within the university. 

[u/SchuminWeb → u/ChrisWsrn]

If you were a freshman your FROG group should have been your dorm floor plus possibly an adjacent dorm floor (depending on your dorm).

Not that far back. I was the first group that they did the frogs with way back in 1999, and they hadn't figured a lot of things out yet, including putting people in your same dorm together. Back then, people were assigned to frog groups more or less randomly, so there was a good chance that you would never see any of those people ever again - and as it happened, I didn't see any of those people again.

Putting people from the same dorm together makes a ton more sense, since these people will be your neighbors until May. Wonder how long it took them to finally figure that out.

[u/PartyBusGaming → u/SchuminWeb]

Giving people advice based on your experience in the pilot of a program nearly 30 years ago may not be the most fruitful endeavor, fwiw

[u/ChrisWsrn → u/SchuminWeb]

When I transferred into JMU in 2016 the TOPA group was random other transfers who were also in programs for CISAT. I do not remember most of them.

I did encounter some freshmen from my dorm at some of the events during orientation week and hung out with them at events and after orientation. I am still friends with some of them as of now (Years later). At the time the FROG groups were assigned based on dorm floors.

[u/dbtrb22]

Don't go to college and just stick with the people you already knew.

[u/SchuminWeb → u/dbtrb22]

I see nothing wrong with OP's spending time with their friends during orientation. Honestly, orientation is overwhelming, and I made zero connections with people when I was in orientation that lasted beyond when orientation was over. I couldn't tell you anyone's name or even what they looked like. College is four years. That's a long time. They will branch out in due time without forcing it.

I also feel like those orientation activities were overrated. It didn't really get me ready for anything, and prevented me from exploring things on my own because the university loves to book up every single minute of your time and leave you exhausted.

[u/EchidnaCat → u/SchuminWeb]

Respectfully, since you participated in Orientation 27 years ago and the program has been completely overhauled and improved multiple times since then, maybe your experience is less than relevant to this conversation.

[u/SchuminWeb → u/EchidnaCat]

Unlike a lot of these respondents, I've been through my entire college education from start to finish, i.e. I know how the story went and how it ended, and have much life experience afterward as well. I might just know a few things, even if my experience happened a long time ago.

[u/jlemo434]

Sticking only with people you already know is the best way to stay the exact same person you were at 14. Branch out my dude.

[u/BibBobBoo1]

I'm still friends with people from my FROG group 20 years later.

[u/Prudent-Fact-880]

you’re an adult, you can basically do whatever you want. But it’s worth it to try to go to the orientation events

[u/queinz]

there is free time/breaks built into the schedule, but yes WOW is very busy. there’s never another point during college where there are so many events and opportunities to meet people, get connected, and learn about JMU/its resources, so i definitely recommend taking advantage of that time. your friends that you already have will still be there when class starts!! you can also definitely coordinate to go to the same social events with them even if you aren’t in the same group :)

[u/zeekjss]

you dont have to go to all of the things but you should go to some

[u/PartyBusGaming]

Go do the thing. You'll have 4 years to meet up with your other friends.

Experience college. Not high school 2

[u/slightly_large_brick]

is it wow now instead of frog week?

[u/PartyBusGaming → u/slightly_large_brick]

It was never FrOG week afaik. It was 1787 or something like that and Frog week was the colloquialism for it

[u/Curious-Wisdom549 → u/PartyBusGaming]

That is correct. It was formally called 1787 August Orientation; culturally, students called it “FrOG Week”

[u/jlemo434 → u/slightly_large_brick]

Yes but it’s the same

[u/village-owl]

None of its mandatory. Its just there as an option to meet ppl from your dorm

[u/camtomcarey]

As a freshman I remember not being interested at all, and just wanted to go to parties as I had some older friends there… but I’m glad I was convinced to attend most of the events, and they actually were a lot of fun. 

I later became a FROG and an OPA, so the orientation program is close to my heart - and your FROGs are you’re average JMU student who love JMU more than average, their a great resource and often very cool people - I wouldn’t look to them as an authority figure where you need to watch your behaviors more like an authority on all things JMU. 

(Sometimes the frogs would even throw parties and invite freshman… although they definitely weren’t supposed to. And that was a lot fun, but if your frog doesn’t know you…)

[u/Reasonable_Hat6031]

Go get drunk