My Role in Making
New Starts Easier

Alia Albawardi

Orientation day is a pivotal event designed to ease the transition for new students entering university life. It introduces the campus, services, and the vibrant community they are about to join. This year, Zayed University elevated this experience by hosting a week-long festival called Ya Hala Week, filled with activities and events to immerse new students in university life from day one.

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As a first-year ambassador, I had the privilege of welcoming these new students, ensuring they felt supported and informed throughout their university journey. My role during the orientation was to guide students through the Ya Hala festival, explaining key policies and services essential for success at Zayed University. This included introducing them to the honor code, dress code, and valuable services like the Peer Ambassador Leaders (PALs) and Career Advocate Leaders (CALs). Additionally, I helped familiarize students with the different colleges at our university, including my own, the College of Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS).

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Beyond these responsibilities, I also served as a spokesperson at the College of Interdisciplinary Studies table, where I engaged directly with new students, sharing insights about our college. Alongside my CIS colleagues—Shyam Abulohom, Shanzila Ahmed, Sohazur Islam, and Maryam Alabbar—we presented the many opportunities and resources available, such as the ZU Spotlight program, ZU Times | حكايات زايد, and the remarkable achievements of our College of Interdisciplinary Studies students, including a success story from our CIS student team—Sohazur Islam, Shanzila Ahmed, Arthur Diniz, and Maryam Alabbar—who secured an impressive 3rd place in the Sports Track at Hackalytics 2024, held at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

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One of the highlights of my role was introducing students to our student-led website, ZU Times | حكايات زايد. This platform, created by students for students, serves as a hub for student-written articles, announcements, and collaborative opportunities, enhancing the academic experience. Students can easily access and navigate through the various articles and accomplishments shared by CIS students. The website also helps students keep track of upcoming events and opportunities at the university. It even allows them to submit their own accomplishments, projects, and businesses to be published as articles, sharing their successes with the university community.

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Reflecting on my experience as a First-Year Ambassador and spokesperson, I gained valuable lessons in leadership and communication. A crucial lesson was enhancing my emotional intelligence—the ability to manage my own emotions and understand the emotions of those around me. Being emotionally aware allowed me to connect with new students on a deeper level, ensuring they felt comfortable and confident during their transition to university life. This experience taught me that new students are much more likely to open up to peers—students like them—rather than to formal figures like professors.

In conclusion, my roles during Ya Hala Week taught me invaluable lessons. By welcoming new students and introducing them to resources like ZU Times | حكايات زايد, I helped ease their transition to university. This experience highlighted the importance of empathy and peer support in creating a welcoming academic environment.

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