Twenty-five first years and sophomores returned to campus two days early this semester to participate in a series of workshops as part of Bowdoin's inaugural Re-Orientation (Re-O) program.
On January 21 and 22, the self-selected students "re-oriented" themselves to college life by attending sessions on issues from working through writer's block to learning new study strategies to discussing alcohol issues on campus.
"First and sophomore years are great years to reassess where you are and where you're going," Dean for Academic Affairs Craig McEwen said in his opening of the Sage Advice Panel at Re-O. He also encouraged students to "push each other to think seriously and deeply."
"This is a crucial time for you," he said.
Though many of Sunday's workshops were of a more serious nature?"Time Management," "Managing Your Reading Load," and "Non-Traditional Study Strategies"?Re-O focused on students' personal well-being as well as on their academic success.
Associate Professor of English Peter Coviello told students in the advice panel, "My worry for kids at Bowdoin?incredibly accomplished people?is it short-circuits doing what you're good at versus doing what you enjoy. Listen slightly less to the voices outside saying, 'Do this, do this,' and listen more to the voice within saying, 'Goddamn it, I'm excited about this.'"
While some workshops were explicitly aimed at improving personal well-being, those messages were embedded even within the more serious, academic-oriented programs.
"I think the program has a lot of potential," Nate Tavel '08 said.
"I did get a few good tips, like how to size up reading assignments better and focus better in class. Perhaps what will prove most useful to me though is that the program opened my eyes to the amazing resources available at the Baldwin Center that I had either never heard of or never thought to use for myself," he said.
Students had the option of participating in a time-management workshop led by Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster, in which participants were taught how to better manage their time to allow for more balanced, healthy lives.
In a workshop entitled "Whole Body Strategies for Overcoming Writer's Block," led by mentors from the Writing Project, anxiety was introduced as a hindrance to being able to write well, and students learned strategies for breaking through writer's block, such as free-writing or engaging in physical activity.
In the workshop "Increasing Study Efficiency and Effectiveness through Learning Preference Assessment," students learned not only which learning styles best suit them, but also how to adapt their study habits to learn better and more within their comfort zones.
In spite of sparser turnout than expected?the limit of participants was 120?students were able to take advantage of small-group settings in which to ask questions of faculty and staff and engage in dialogue on issues of personal and academic success.
At the conclusion of each workshop, participants were asked to complete evaluations, in which they rated the effectiveness of each workshop and provided suggestions for future changes or workshop additions.
Though only reaching a small fraction of the Bowdoin student body, according to Foster, "The evaluations I saw were extremely positive and it appears that those who attended really benefited."
Program participant David Scott '08 said he found the seminar helpful.
"It provided me with the tools and means with which to manage my time, organize my work, and relieve stress," he said.
"My largest disappointment was that I could attend only three out of nine workshops," Scott said. "I would like to see the program extended to two full days to provide more opportunities to engage in workshops," he said.
Thursday, the Re-O planning committee met to discuss "what we learned and what we would do differently," according to Foster, who also stated that he believes the committee is committed to trying the Re-O program again.
"Continuing to focus on academic success, personal success, and connecting students to people they don't know seems to be what students want," he said.
"Also, I'm guessing that as the program becomes a Bowdoin tradition, the interest in terms of faculty, student, and staff planning of the program grows significantly," Foster said.