For many students, college orientation can be their first experience on their own. As they embark on an exciting new journey, they are suddenly faced with some new pressures — and without the familiar and structured environment of home and high school.

The obstacle? They may be feeling a little lost in a sea of new faces and places.

The good news? Campus and orientation leaders planning summer orientation can help relieve some of the pressure! By carving out time and creating opportunities for new students to be social and share more about themselves, they create a positive and welcoming atmosphere.

Why is this so important? Building campus community and cultivating a sense of belonging are critical for a student’s success and retention (especially for those at risk for dropping out).

In this article, we are exploring 16 of our favorite college orientation ideas, activities, and icebreakers to help incoming students get to know each other!

On Friday, April 8th, the CG team was beyond thrilled to host our 2nd annual virtual conference with our wonderful campus partners!

We were delighted to gather together and connect with so many creative and innovative campus leaders at CampusGroups Rendez-Vous ‘22! It was such a pleasure to see and hear from the incredible members of the CG community! 💙

Over 400 attendees from 12 countries and 141 campuses around the globe joined us for an exciting day of discussions, inspiration, discovery and new connections!

11 presenters from 8 institutions shared creative ways they have been adapting and innovating to keep their students connected and engaged.