Northwestern first-year students reflect on effectiveness of PA Groups in college transition

Illustration by Shveta Shah

New students are assigned a Peer Adviser in the school upon their arrival at NU to help guide them through their transition to college.

Darby Martinez Stapleton, Reporter

October 9, 2023

It’s no secret that Northwestern takes orientation seriously: Wildcat Welcome, the University’s weeklong orientation program for new students and transfers, has boasted food trucks, inflatables and even a free trip to Six Flags.

For SESP freshman Isabela Rezk, the highlight of Wildcat Welcome were her Peer Advisers, or PAs.

“(My PAs) just made the experience awesome. They were very entertaining and very helpful,” Rezk said.

The week before classes start, NU welcomes incoming freshmen and transfers for Wildcat Welcome. The week aims to prepare new students for navigating campus and college life.

Although some students find NU’s weeklong orientation to be overwhelming or tiring, Rezk said her PA group was integral in aiding her transition to NU.

Each new student is assigned a Peer Adviser, an older student who serves as a mentor and is in the same school as their group of freshmen.

Weinberg freshman Katelyn Cai, who is studying computer science, said she keeps in contact with her PA, sparking up quick conversations when they run into each other on campus. Cai said her PA has given her advice on her major and connected her with other students with similar interests.

“When I see her, I might have some quick conversation,” Cai said. “She’s definitely helpful.”

However, Cai said the International Student Orientation was more effective than Wildcat Welcome in helping her get to know campus, thanks to activities that allowed international students to explore campus.

Throughout Wildcat Welcome, new students and their PAs participate in activities like March Through The Arch, campus tours, True Northwestern Dialogues and other scheduled events.

While there is no requirement for PAs and their freshmen to stay in contact after Wildcat Welcome, several students say their groups carry into social life at NU throughout freshman year and beyond.

Weinberg freshman Olivia Killian said she keeps in contact with her PA over social media but still considers her to be a huge resource.

“I definitely feel like I could ask her honest questions, more so toward the end of Wildcat Welcome once we got more comfortable and I got to get a sense of her personality a bit more,” Killian said.

Killian said she enjoyed evening events like Norris at Night and Rock the Lake because they gave her a chance to explore campus on her own and meet people she would not have encountered otherwise.

“I felt that the school did a really good job of making everybody feel really supported during those first couple of weeks because it can feel really isolating and feel really scary,” Killian said. “Overall, I felt that my transition from high school to college is really successful so far.”

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