Summer students may find it hard to dodge the hundreds of incoming freshmen on campus this week for orientation and may not find cover until the middle of July.
This year's freshman orientation allows for 180 students to come through each day, administrative coordinator of orientation Donna Perry said.
"I am very excited to come to Ball State," future freshman from Hickory Hills, Ill., Steven Nawara said. "This is a great campus and very clean."
Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. for incoming students on the first day of orientation. Students learn about student life and services available at Ball State. Study skills assessment and placement tests are also given on the first day.
The second day of orientation includes academic planning and other campus business. Students receive information on scholarships, financial aid and advising.
"I feel like I am in second grade," Amanda Stephens from Russiaville said. "They tell you all of this stuff, but I think orientation is a waste of my time. I am just ready and excited to come to school."
Some future Ball State students use orientation as a way to make new friends.
"I am really happy to be here now," Eric Berry of Valparaiso said. "I am meeting a lot of new people."
Berry will be diving with Ball State this coming season.
"I have been wanting to come to Ball State for a long time," Stephen Cohen from DeMotte said. "Orientation helps to get rid of the first-year jitters."
Cohen will be joining Ball State's cross-country team next season.
"The freshmen this year are great and very friendly," sophomore orientation leader Jared Gilbert said. "I guess it is possible to get a bad group ... but not mine!
"It is kind of hard first meeting the group. It is my job to open them up and get them to start talking. I am the star of the show."
Retention rate is a main concern with administrators involved with higher education, assistant director of student organizations Robert Turning said.
"By getting involved with student organizations and activities, students enjoy school more and want to stick around," Turning said. "We want students to stay."
Students also learn about making up class schedules and the history of the buildings on campus during the two days of freshman orientation.
"Everything is being thrown at us at a very fast pace," Lisa Gerstner from Wapakoneta, Ohio, said. "I can't wait to come in the fall."
Parents are invited to attend orientation along with their children.
"This whole thing is both very exciting and hectic at the same time," Ladonna and Larry Warner from Jasper, Ind., said. Their son Brandon is their first child to go to college.
"This year's orientation students have so far been very enthusiastic and eager to ask questions," junior orientation leader Moira Mis said.
Mis said each orientation leader works about 40 hours each week.
Orientation started Monday with four sessions a week through July 10 and 11. There will be three sessions the week of July 4 because of the holiday. July 14 and 15 have been left on hold to accommodate a surplus of students.
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