The University of Oklahoma

SOONER ORIENTATION
WEEKEND 2016

Schedule preview & resource guide #justSOWyouknow

What
Possibilities...

Summer 2016

WELCOME!
We are your Sooner Orientation Weekend (SOW) Executive Team and we are SOW excited
to welcome you to OU!
Your transition to OU is going to be full of excitement and nervousness, ups and downs, twists
and turns, questions and answers. We hope that this booklet provides you with some basic,
introductory knowledge of OU and guides you in the right
direction to find out more! We also hope youll take
2016
advantage of all the great opportunities offered during
SOW EXEC
Sooner Orientation Weekend (Thursday, Aug. 18
Sunday, Aug. 21) as you get ready for your first day of class!
Well start on the next page by offering a quick glimpse at
some of the questions you might have. We hope you find it,
and the rest of this booklet, helpful as you begin to prepare
for this journey!
Again, we are SOW excited about your decision to attend
OU and we cant wait to see you at Sooner Orientation
Weekend 2016!

Front row, left-to-right: Bridgitte Castorino,

Lauren Euge, Jessie Hearn, Jenna Henderson
Back row, left-to-right: Zac Stevens,
Jonathan Yoon, Mitchell Lucky

Any Questions?
Do I need to have my own computer?
Do I need to bring a car?
Why are there pictures of bicycles on the sidewalk?
Where do I get my books?
What is Canvas?
What do I need to bring to class?
What is a syllabus?
Can I start my own club?
Do I need a gym membership?
Where do I go for help? What do I use my student ID for?
Where are the best study spots?
Do I need to have a library card?
Is it okay to walk on the grass?
How much time will I need to study?
How do I get around Norman?
What do I do on Friday nights and the weekends?
Do I have to cook for myself?
What is the weather like in Norman?
What is D2L?
How long does it take to get from my room to my class?
What is the OU chant?
How do I meet my professors outside of class?
Why
are
there so many squirrels?
Where can I get my own computer or software?
Do I need to get a job?
I live on the 5th floor. Should I take the elevator?
Are there events for me?
Do I have to do my own laundry?
Do I have to pay to print in a computer lab?
Where can I find clubs to join?
How do I know which classes to take to graduate?
If I bring a car, where do I park?
Why am I supposed to avoid walking under the clock tower? Do I need to have a planner?
What is there to do in Norman?
Where is the nearest post office?
How do I get football and basketball tickets?
Should I bring a bike?
Will I really need to study?
Where do I get a parking pass?
Why are there so many questions?

Dont worry. We are here to help.

STOP!

You probably have a lot more questions than those you saw on the previous page. And you are
going to have even more in the next few months.Thats perfectly normal. Coming to college is a
big adjustment, but the most important thing to remember is you are not in it alone!
We cannot answer all of your questions here. But in addition to this booklet, we are planning
four days of activities that will help you get more answers you need and connect with the people
who can assist you in finding answers to other questions you might have. If you follow us on
Twitter (@OU_SOW) you will get answers to even more questions throughout the summer!
On the next few pages, youll find some highlights of Sooner Orientation Weekend. But these are
only the highlights! Visit our website (www.ou.edu/sow) for a more complete schedule and check
back often because we will continue to work with other parts of the OU and Norman
communities to bring you as many opportunities as we can for that weekend.
After that, weve included more information about different parts of campus and how they can
have a positive impact on your OU experience. And be sure to familiarize yourself with the
Graduation Planner which was handed out at summer enrollment.That publication is full
of great information as well! You can also find an interactive online version at
http://www.ou.edu/graduatesooner if you prefer.

SOW SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18

OU Move-In 2016
Most students will be moving in on this day. Check
www.ou.edu/housingandfood/move-in for all of the details about
Move-In 2016. Questions about OU Move-In 2016 should be
directed to the Housing Office at 405-325-2511.
New Sooner Convocation
4 p.m.
Lloyd Noble Center
Convocation is a priority event of Sooner Orientation Weekend.
Parents and students should attend as OU President David L.
Boren and others welcome you to the OU family in this aweinspiring ceremony for new Sooners. Students in attendance will
receive their Class of 2020 t-shirt they will wear to the class
photo event on Sunday, August 21.
SOW Cookout & Ice Cream Social

Following Convocation Walker-Adams Mall

Sooners, friends and family are invited to join us in the

shade for a free picnic. Be sure to stick around for ice

cream served up by OU deans and directors.
THESE ARE ONLY THE HIGHLIGHTS! Visit www.ou.edu/sow for a full schedule!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19

SOW SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

College Orientation Programs

11 a.m. 1 p.m.
(Various Locations)
Visit our website in August for the most up-to-date schedule of college orientation programs! If
you are unsure about what you want to declare as a major, well have a session for you too!
Transfer Student, First-in-Family, Commuter Student, Small Town Student Orientations
1:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m.
Dale Hall
Choose the session thats right for you and come meet other students, faculty and staff who will
help welcome you to OU, give you important information and answer your questions!
Multicultural Programs and Services Orientation
3:00 p.m.
Dale Hall
Find out about the different support services and involvement opportunities provided by African
American, American Indian, Asian American, and Latino Programs and Student Services.This
orientation is open to all students and families. Come meet staff, faculty and student leaders and
find out information on how to be successful with your transition to OU!
SOW Chill & Involvement Fair
7 p.m. South Oval
Join us on the South Oval for all kinds of fun stuff! Free food, prizes, games, music,
giveaways and over 100 student organizations that will be on hand to help you get
involved at OU!
THESE ARE ONLY THE HIGHLIGHTS! Visit www.ou.edu/sow for a full schedule!

SOW SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20
Norman Bus Tours
1 p.m. 4 p.m.
Busses will load north of Walker-Adams Mall
See what Norman has to offer! This 45-minute tour shows you the local spots that make
Norman unique, and the familiar places youll know from home.Tours leave at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m.!
Intramural Sports Preview
2 p.m. 5 p.m.
Walker-Adams Mall & Volleyball Courts
Join us for flag football, basketball, sand volleyball, Spikeball and more! Meet the Fit & Rec team
that runs our Intramural Sports Program to learn how you can be involved this year!
Campus Corner Preview
5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Campus Corner (north of Campus on Boyd Street)
Take a tour of Campus Corner and enjoy free food, cold drinks and prizes!
Nite @ the Union (Presented by the Union Programming Board.)
6:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m.
Oklahoma Memorial Union Ballroom
Enjoy free food, games and prizes at this must-see event! Visit www.ou.edu/upb for more details.

Late Night Target Shopping Event

9:30 p.m. Midnight Target Super Store

Free busses to and from Target, with gifts and snacks! Pick up items for your room or

your backpack during this exclusive after-hours shopping trip. Busses depart from

and return to Walker-Adams Mall approximately every 30 minutes.
THESE ARE ONLY THE HIGHLIGHTS! Visit www.ou.edu/sow for a full schedule!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21

SOW SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

Class of 2020 Picture

5 p.m.
The Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Join us for the freshman class tradition,The Class Picture, on historic Owen Field. Students living
in the residence halls should
come with your RA. (Please
note, some floors will have
their community meeting
prior to the Class Picture.)
Students not living in the
residence halls should park
at the Asp Avenue Parking
Facility, which is attached to
the Gaylord-Family
Oklahoma Memorial
Stadium, and enter through Gate 1 at the south east corner of the stadium.
Wear the Class of 2020 t-shirt you will get for FREE at New Sooner Convocation on
Thursday of SOW!
THESE
THESEARE
AREONLY
ONLYTHE
THEHIGHLIGHTS!
HIGHLIGHTS!Visit
Visitwww.ou.edu/sow
www.ou.edu/sowfor
foraafull
fullschedule!
schedule!

UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
Its important for you to connect with people you have something in common with. But its also
important for you to meet people that have different perspectives than you do and to attend
events that help you broaden your horizons. With students from all 50 states and more than 100
different countries, its safe to say that youre part of a very diverse community.
We love that OU takes great pride in the recruitment and development of students who are
committed to strengthening our campus community, and the Office of University Community is
a big part of that effort. We encourage you to find out more about the Office of University
Community by visiting their website at http://www.ou.edu/community.html
Last year the university implemented a mandatory 5-hour community-building experience for
new students.The program focused on helping us learn from other peoples perspectives and
how we can improve our relationships with each other.The program opened the door for some
great discussions both during and after the experience and has helped people connect with each
other in very meaningful ways.There are two ways for you to fulfill this mandatory requirement:


1) attend Camp Crimson this summer (congrats if you already did this!)

2) attend a separate 5-hour experience once the fall semester begins.You will receive

more information about this option in the fall semester.


We cant wait to see what kind of positive impact you have on the OU community!

STUDENT LIFE
Getting involved is a very important part of your OU experience. It will supplement what you
are learning in class, help you develop skills to prepare you for the future, and connect you to
something bigger than yourself. Here are just some of the offices that can help you find what to
be involved with at OU. Please visit their websites to learn more about how to get involved.
Student Life - http://ou.edu/studentlife (Campus Activities Council, Greek Life, McNair Scholars, Multicultural
Student Life, Orientation & Transfer Programs)
Gender & Equality Center - https://www.ou.edu/content/studentlife/diverse_communities/gec.html

Lead & Volunteer - http://www.ou.edu/leadandvolunteer/

Residence Life - http://www.ou.edu/housingandfood/hcsa/

Student Government Association - http://www.ou.edu/sga/

Union Programming Board - http://www.ou.edu/upb/

Other opportunities
Nearly every major has a student organizations associated with it. This is a great way to meet other
students who are interested in the same academic area as you. There are also many cultural, faith-based,
and interest-based organizations.Visit rso.ou.edu and click on Active Student Organizations to find
the list of more than 400 student organizations here at OU.

CAMPUS EVENTS
Sooner Orientation Weekend is only the beginning of all of the fun in store for you this year! There are so many
other events throughout the year you will enjoy! In addition to the ones listed here, be sure to become familiar with
OrgSync (visit rso.ou.edu and click the link) so you can
stay up-to-date on campus events throughout the year.
Here is just a small sampling of some of those events.
American Indian Student Association 103rd Annual
Spring Contest Powwow
Each spring semester, the American Indian Student
Association hosts the OU Spring Contest Powwow. This
is the longest running student-led Powwow in the United
States. Please visit American Indian Student Life for
more details.
Blackness and Sexuality
An on-going dialogue with students and scholars about
issues of sexual orientation, gender expression and other
issues surrounding sexuality as they relate to the Black
community.
College Bowl
OUs very own version of quiz bowl, this pop culture trivia competition offers teams of OU students the
opportunity to go head-to-head in order to take home the title of College Bowl champion.
Day of the Dead Street Festival
Come celebrate with OU as we host one of the largest Day of the Dead Street Festivals in the state.

There will be live music, free carnival rides and food trucks from across the state to celebrate this

holiday honoring those who have passed. This event occurs in late October.

Homecoming
One of the university communitys favorite traditions, Homecoming captures a unique sense of Sooner spirit in a
week of activities, culminating with the Homecoming parade, football game and royalty coronation.
Latino Flavor
Latino Flavor is a free annual event allowing the OU Family to experience Latino culture in a delicious way! This
student led event is filled with food and entertainment from all over Latin America.
Miss Indian OU Pageant
Every spring, this pageant provides an opportunity for one Native woman to represent the OU community and win
a scholarship provided by the American Indian Alumni Society.This pageant is sponsored by the American Indian
Student Association. Please visit American Indian Student Life (Oklahoma Memorial Union 370) for more details.
Mosaic: Social Justice Symposium
This event provides a space for University students, faculty, staff, and alumni to learn and discuss contemporary
issues of social justice through presentations, research, and discussion forums. For more information visit ou.edu/
studentlife/mosaic or email gec@ou.edu.
Stompdown
The Stompdown step show is one of the largest African American student events hosted at OU. Bringing together
people from Oklahoma,Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Louisiana, the Stompdown audience is comprised of
nearly 1,500 students, faculty/ staff, alumni and surrounding communities. Stompdown will be in April of 2017.
University Queer Tour
The Gender + Equality Center and the LGBTQ Program Advisory Board invite you on a journey through OU,
LGBTQ style. See the SOW schedule online (www.ou.edu/sow) for more information or register now by
emailing gec@ou.edu.
This is just a small sample of events going on throughout the year at OU. We are sure you will find many
events that will help you learn, grow, connect and have fun during your time here!

LIVING WELL
One of the most important aspects of college life is balance. As a college student, its very
important to make time for physical, emotional and spiritual wellness, so you can perform at
your best intellectually. Here at OU, we have a lot of ways for you to find balance.
FITNESS & RECREATION
The Fit & Rec team provides countless opportunities for
you to build a healthy lifestyle. Whether you are looking
for fitness classes to take, intramural sports to play, or if
you want a place to work out, they have you covered.
They operate our on-campus recreational center, our
intramural sports programs, and provide lots of health
and wellness programs and education throughout the
year. Learn more at http://www.ou.edu/far.html
HEALTH & COUSELING SERVICES
OUs clinic staff consists of board-certified, licensed
physicians, physician assistants, a nurse practitioner and
medical assistants offering a full spectrum of care in family medicine, sports medicine, and
disease prevention and treatment. The Counseling Center offers individual, group, and couples
counseling among other services. Counselors are there to help people resolve existing

problems, prevent potential problems, and develop new skills that will enhance their lives.
For more information, visit http://www.ou.edu/healthservices.html

Your health is important to us! Use these resources to learn how to live well at OU!

ACADEMIC RESOURCES
Have we mentioned yet that college might be tough? Your classes should challenge you, which
will help you grow and prepare you for life after college. But just like with everything else, you
are not in it alone! There are many academic support services to help you succeed in the
classroom.
In fact, there are so many that we dont have room to dive into them all in this booklet. So let us
refer you to two great resources:

1) The Graduation Planner, produced by the Graduation Office and provided to all

students when they come for their summer enrollment appointment, is FULL of

information that will help you prepare for and succeed in the classroom.

2) The website http://www.ou.edu/content/graduatesooner/resources/html, which is also

produced by the Graduation Office, is basically a quick reference to some of the key

academic resources here at OU. It has information about getting advised, selecting a

major, study skills, tutoring, and much more!
Now wait. We know some of you may be thinking back to high school. Maybe at your high school,
tutoring was only for students who were failing.Thats not the case at OU. Here at OU, tutoring
is for all studentswhether youre struggling to figure things out, trying to raise your grade
a little, or hoping to perfect your understanding of the material. We strongly encourage
you to take advantage of all the various resources available for you.

Family
Members
We have great
resources for you
too!
Sooner Parents
(info on this &
next page)
Family Session on
Thursday of SOW
iTunesU course at
https://itunes.apple.com/us/course/
ou-parents-101/
id688814242

Greetings from Sooner Parents!

Welcome to the University of Oklahoma! As parents of OU students already know
and parents of incoming OU students will soon learn, OU is an exceptional place.
Rich in heritage and tradition and committed to academic excellence, OU
emphasizes a strong sense of community and university pride so that every
student feels like a part of the OU family.
As parents, we can continue to support our college-age children even when
they are away at school. We can encourage them to set goals, and to develop
relationships with professors and staff members and take advantage of the many
resources and student opportunities available at OU to assist them in reaching
their goals. Sooner Parents, OUs parents association, provides many helpful
resources for parents as well as scholarships for students whose parent(s) are members
of Sooner Parents, and support for a variety of student services and organizations across campus.
If you have not already done so, I invite you to join Sooner Parents online at parents.ou.edu and follow us on our
Facebook page. The primary goal of Sooner Parents, in addition to providing parent resources, is to keep OU parents informed
about important dates, announcements, opportunities for your student on campus, and opportunities for you as well. Please feel
free to reach out to me or any of our volunteers with questions, comments or concerns regarding your students OU experience.
Sooner Parents is your association, and we are here for you! We all know how quickly time passes. I am confident that your familys
experience at the University of Oklahoma will be as positive as my familys has been. Again, I encourage you to join Sooner Parents,
and to contact me if you any
question about the association.
BOOMER SOONER!
Mike Kaufmann
Sooner Parents President
Norman, Oklahoma
parents.ou.edu
Mike.Kaufmann-1@ou.edu

Join online at
parents.ou.edu!

Sooner Parents keeps you connected

and enhances the OU student
experience!

Monthly member-only e-mail blasts

Early notification of Dads Day and Moms Day dates
Access to purchase identified home football tickets
Local discounts
Opportunities to volunteer and more!

Visit parents.ou.edu for

more information and resources!

Join in on the fun and get more information!

@UofOklahoma
@OUStudentLife
@OU_SOW
@OUClassof2020

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo

For accommodations, please contact Student Life at (405) 325-3163.