The Collegio Pittsburg's student voice since 1916
Gorilla Warm-up is an interactive way to help students learn what’s what and where to go before their first days as college students. It was held Sunday Aug. 18 at 2 p.m.
“I like to think of Gorilla Warm-up like your first day at a new job,” said Ashley Wadell, student success counselor. “So at a new job you kind of have to learn where everything is, meet who your coworkers are going to be, figure out the lay of the land and that’s how we treat Gorilla Warm-up. It’s a day for students to get a little bit more comfortable with campus before they jump in with their classes tomorrow and also to make a connection, both with their Gorilla Gateway instructor and other students in their class.”
Students walked into the Student Center and after getting their name tags from one of the many returning students who volunteered to help, and were directed to the room where they would meet with their professor and classmates.
“[I’m most excited for] probably getting to see everyone, getting familiar looking around campus and stuff really for the first time and getting to introduce myself,” said Colby Laturner, freshman in graphic design.
Students received a tour of campus, and their professors explained the layout of campus as well as answered any questions students might have had.
“I’m an instructor in addition to working in the office so I really just enjoy the time to meet my students, hopefully calm any concerns they have because it can be a little bit nerve wracking heading into your first day of college so to have a day where you have the opportunity to make that connection is really great,” Wadell said.
Students spent the day in their groups and were given the opportunity to not only talk with professors and ask questions but to talk to fellow freshmen.
“It kind of gets you interacted with others so you’re not just sitting in your room and you kind of get to meet and see who you can hang out with and get to know,” said Rhylan Tedder, freshman in business.
For Gorilla Warm-Up this year, they had a guest speaker talk to all of the students together about authentic success.
“There’s lots of different ways you can define success but we want our students to focus on being authentic with their success and how to really start off on the right foot while they’re here, what kind of impressions to make, what kind of things they can get involved with to really start off the right way and set the tone for the course of the time that they’re here at Pitt state,” Wadell said.
Students were shown around the campus to have a general idea of where their classes will be for the first day.
“I love it already,” said Grace Chramosta, undeclared freshman. “I love the colors. I love the people, but I’m nervous for the classes and finding them.”
The purpose of Gorilla Warm-Up is to prepare students for their first day at a new school and ease any nerves they might have, as well as answer questions they have.
“I think that comfortability piece is really important,” Wadell said. “This year it’s not just freshmen that are here; it’s anybody who is enrolled in Gorilla Gateway and so just kind of feeling that sense of they know what’s going to happen tomorrow is the biggest benefit, and also a secondary is our speaker, everybody hearing the same message going into the fall semester brings everyone together.”