When thousands of freshmen stormed campus this weekend, 283 volunteer orientation leaders greeted them in the residence halls, ready to make the transition to college life a little smoother.

"Orientation leaders do a heck of a lot for us," said John Hurst, assistant director of Student Activities and coordinator of the OL program. "They answer questions; they help with programs; they give tours. We really couldn't pull off orientation as well as we do without them."

Darcy Babcock (junior-international business and accounting) seemed at ease with her role as an OL, smiling knowingly as she explained to two freshmen how their co-ed dorm is divided up into male and female rooms. Drawing from her own experiences with dorm living, she was also able to look around younger students' rooms and suggest things they may want to purchase: some crates here, a cushion for the desk chair there, and let's not forget the shower shoes.

"It's exciting to see the new freshmen. They have a lot of energy and they don't really know what's ahead," said DeAnn Snider (sophomore-speech communication and public relations), an orientation leader.

Snider said that moving into a new environment and leaving family members behind can be difficult for new students, and when she sees the freshmen looking lost or anxious, she's happy to help. "It's a hard time for them right now," she said with a shrug.

Snider and Babcock introduced themselves to freshmen in Atherton, letting them know they have someone in their building to turn to if they need help.

"I think the biggest fear of people going to college is not knowing anyone, and automatically I know two people," said Gina Cappelletti (freshmen-international politics), gesturing to Snider and Babcock, who had stopped by her room to see if they could be of any help.

Orientation leaders are not paid, but they receive free meals, two T-shirts, and permission to move into the dorms the Wednesday before classes. In addition, being an OL can serve as a stepping stone to becoming a resident assistant. "As an OL you experience a lot of what the RA's do: how to coordinate programs and how to greet new students," Hurst said.

Beyond tangible perks and resume building, the OL's had the satisfaction of helping others.

"It's nice to give freshmen someone to turn to. It makes them feel welcomed and not so alone when their parents leave," Babcock said.