2023 Welcome Week Oak Street Roast on Chamberlain Field. Photo by Angela Foster.
Hey, new Mocs!
It’s nice to meet you! Earlier in the year, I wrote a story about some things you may need to know before your first day at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
The fall semester is officially here, and the first few weeks of your college experience are crucial. Fortunately, UTC likes to make things fun and easy.
Here are six things I wish I had known during my first semester at UTC:
1. Attend Welcome Week events
Welcome Week, which begins this Sunday (Aug. 18) and lasts until the Saturday after the first week of classes, is packed with events designed to help you meet new people, explore the campus and start building community.
According to Hannah Turcotte, assistant director for student and family engagement, nearly 100 Welcome Week events took place last year.
Welcome Week pool party
“You’re on a college campus,” Turcotte said. “This is the time to reinvent yourself, try something new and meet new people. I think Welcome Week is the ultimate experience and time to be able to do that.”
The week is highlighted by signature events such as the Oak Street Roast, Soundwaves Pool Party, International Tea Time, Headphone Dance Party, Goat Yoga and much more.
Chris Bridgers, assistant director for student engagement, encouraged students to step out of their comfort zones.
“Try new things,” Bridgers said. “You never know what could happen from going to one of the events. These are safe spaces that were intentionally created and planned with our students in mind.”
For a full schedule, visit the Welcome Week calendar.
2. Keep up with campus
Welcome Week is full of fun, but that doesn’t mean it ends there.
“Continue to engage and plug into your experience so that you open those doors to new opportunities,” Turcotte said. “We don’t want the first week of each semester to be the only time you’re attending events. There are things happening throughout the semester that are on MocSync.”
MocSync is a platform that keeps you up to date on events and organizations on campus. Bookmark it and check it frequently to know what’s going on around campus.
You will likely be receiving a lot of emails as a student, but don’t delete them all.
Bridgers recommended checking the Scrappy Newsletter every Monday and the Campus Weekly Newsletter every Tuesday. That way, you are aware of events and essential campus updates.
Social media is another easy way of keeping up.
“Social media is an extension of your campus experience,” said Laura Bond, UTC’s director of social media. “We post a lot about events and fun things to do on campus. It’s a great way to connect with your fellow Mocs.”
On Instagram, follow @utchattanooga and @utcnewmocs.
“The @utcnewmocs account will help you get connected to the campus experience,” Bond said. “We give a lot of tips to students. We have a lot of takeovers where you can ask specific questions of your peers.”
You can also follow UTC on:
Find other UTC social media accounts here.
3. Join student organizations
Getting involved on campus is one of the best ways to make connections and find your niche at UTC.
Here is a list of some of the hundreds of organizations that exist on campus.
If you need any help finding organizations that are right for you, Turcotte said the Office of Student and Family Engagement is a great starting point. She also said to keep an eye out for student organization fairs during Welcome Week.
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If you have questions about student organizations or about starting your own,
reach out to Hannah Turcotte at hannah-turcotte@utc.edu.
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“There’s something for everyone,” Turcotte said. “We have student governance organizations like SGA and freshman senate. We have multicultural organizations. We have organizations for special interests like tabletop gaming. We have academic-based organizations that are rooted in a major.
“If you don’t find what you’re looking for, it’s easy to start your own organization.”
4. Stay connected with professors and find mentors
Building a relationship with your professors can be crucial to your success at UTC—whether it’s attending office hours, participating in class discussions or simply sending an email to introduce yourself.
In my experience, it was these relationships that helped me find real-world opportunities within my major.
Dr. Liz Hathaway—a UC Foundation associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance and a faculty-in-residence member in West Campus student housing—spoke about the power of mentorship in a recent UTC Q&A feature.
Dr. Liz Hathaway (right) and Karsen Murphy
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” Hathaway said. “In my younger days, I spent a lot of time trying to figure stuff out myself. I would’ve saved some time if I had just asked questions. It still takes a village, even if you’re an adult.”
Dr. Amy Brock-Hon, the Robert Lake Wilson Professor of Geology at UTC, will teach a first-year geology class that will also allow students to explore Chattanooga.
In a recent story, she also explained that professors want to help you so that you aren’t on your own.
“There may be this kind of barrier that exists where students think I’m just a professor and they may not feel comfortable coming in,” Brock-Hon said. “This is the first time they’ve had to interact with professors. I want them to see that I’m also a human being and it’s OK to develop a relationship and have a conversation about what interests them and ask, ‘Hey, can I get help with this?’”
5. Use campus technology
As a student, there is a wide range of technology right at your fingertips.
Take some time to explore the UTC Library and all it has to offer, including the studio, where you can “produce a documentary, prototype your invention, digitize that old box of slides and everything in between.”
You can also print straight from your device, check out equipment and find resources for projects or assignments.
If you need any kind of technology help, visit the Information Technology webpage.
6. Learn all about campus resources
If you need help, whether it be with paying your fees, getting counseling or academic support, there are plenty of campus resources available to guide you.
During my freshman year, there were a lot of things I didn’t know. I thought to myself, “I’m an adult now. I need to figure this out on my own.” However, I didn’t stop to think about the many people whose job on campus is to help students.
Carrie Sherbesman, director of New Student and Family Programs, graduated from UTC in 2005. She wants students to know that it’s not uncommon to feel confused. Faculty and staff recognize that you are coming from a completely different environment.
“I didn’t know what the Bursar’s Office meant when I came to school here,” she said. “I didn’t know what College of Arts and Sciences meant on my diploma.
“There’s a lot of stuff that is so confusing. No questions are new questions, so don’t feel stupid reaching out for help. We all really, really want to help.”
To learn more about or reach out to a student resource, visit the student resources page.
2023 Welcome Week Headphone Dance Party on Chamberlain Field. Photo by Angela Foster.
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