RPS creates ‘Real-Life Advice’ video to help incoming freshmen

Next year’s freshmen are eagerly awaiting their experiences as IU students, and Residential Programs and Services has designed a video to help the new students learn what to expect from IU and Bloomington. \nThe program is called “Real-Life Advice.” RPS staff members walked around campus and asked current students their advice for incoming freshmen – advice they might not typically learn in books, said Pam Sprong, RPS assistant director of communications \nand marketing. \nRPS started this for the first time last year and many students found it to be helpful, Sprong said. “Real-Life Advice,” which is edited and put together to create one video, is on the RPS Web site and is mentioned in packets given to incoming freshmen.\n“The information is great because it’s coming from their peers, not books or adults,” Sprong said. \nLast year’s video advised students on how to get involved, how to use the bus system and how to make it to class on time. \nJunior Allison Stangel said she thinks it’s a great idea. \n“It would definitely be helpful, because there might be some questions a new student would want to ask but are too embarrassed,” she said. \nThe advice incoming freshmen would hope to gain would be information about Bloomington and IU that they wouldn’t typically hear from their advisers or teachers, Sprong said. The Office of Admissions has created online chat sessions for incoming freshmen to talk to current students about anything concerning IU or Bloomington. The chat option is available on the office’s Web site at www.indiana.edu/~iuadmit. \nJunior Kara MacLean transferred here and thinks the idea is great. \n“It’s helpful because this campus is so huge,” she said. \nRPS plans to have the second video ready for distribution by the end of the semester, so incoming students can view it during the summer, Sprong said. \n“It not only helps incoming students, but lets the current students think and reflect back about what they wish they would have known,” \nSprong said.