All Students

Catch your Breath with Goldy and Grub is an event created to bring first-year students together through normalizing shared experiences. Last time this event took place, Orientation & Transition Experiences hosted over 200 first-year (freshman and transfer) students.

Students shared "sweet" and "not-so-hot" moments from their experiences at the U thus far. A variety of stories were shared and many common themes emerged:

Sweet Moment - Community & Connection, Personal Experiences, Academic Success, Campus Engagement, and Campus Resources

• "Meeting lots of great new people through classes and my LLC"
• "Weekly coffee dates with my friends from Welcome Week."
• "Getting picked for the Dean's first year scholar research program for Spring 2019"

"Not-so-Hot" Moments - Academic Challenges, Navigating Campus, Personal & Academic Balance, and Social Transition

• "One week I had 4 tests and a lab report due. They were all on Thursday and Friday"
• "Accidentally riding the campus connector to St. Paul"
• "Overcommiting myself to everything for fear of missing out"

Visit the CMU Art Gallery this summer as we have showcased the student experiences of twenty U of M students in Orientation & Transition Experiences’ “My View, My U: Inside the Student Experience” exhibit. The exhibit highlights the student experience from our students’ point-of-view.

Here are a couple of quotes our students shared surrounding their experience:

• "This was only the third Gopher football game I'd gone to in three years at the U of M. It's never too late to start getting more involved on campus, whether that be cheering on Gopher sports, joining a student group, or getting a job. My time at the U has been made one thousand times better by putting myself out there and getting involved on campus." - Lily French
• "My freshman year, I lived in Bailey Hall. I honestly can't say enough about the close community the dorm creates; I have so many amazing friends from last year who I wouldn't have met without living in Bailey. That being said, living on the Saint Paul campus meant I also basically lived on the Campus Connector. Since that was such an instrumental aspect of my first year, I wanted to pay a small tribute to the many hours I spent on the busses." - Karsen Staton
• "I remember the excitement I felt when I screamed and cheered along to “SKI-U-MAH" for our college football team. That day, I found a sense of belonging in the University of Minnesota and it was an experience that I will never forget." - Dila Ravenna Theodora

To see the selected photos and see more about the student experiences those students shared alongside there photo visit the Art Galllery on the first floor of the Memorial Union.

In spring of 2018, Student Unions & Activities (SUA) partnered with OTE to present "Senior Stories: We've Been There". After interviewing many incredible individuals with inspiring stories, three stories were chosen. Enjoy the stories these brave, courageous, and inspiring individuals share of the challenges they have faced and how they have navigated their way to their senior year.

Kaity's Story

Margarita's Story

Mitch's Story

If you have enjoyed programs and events put on by Orientation & Transition Experience and would like to support future new students in having a successful transition to campus, consider getting involved with our work! Learn more about Student Leadership & Employment opportunities!