New Student Enrollment at the University

So I got the survey for attending the New Student Enrollment. Here is my reply after answering the few questions.

I am a VERY non-traditional student. I am 28, married, with a child and I work full time. I attended UNL as a visiting student in the past. I KNOW how to register, I know where things are on campus. Attending NSE was a huge waste of my time. I had NOTHING in common with any other students there. I spent most of the time, alone. Because of the age gap, and lifestyle difference it was hard to find something to talk to the other "kids" about. I tried, very unsuccessfully, to not attend NSE. I had to take a day off of work, unpaid, and spend it with people who made NO effort to include non-traditional students into the day.

I also found that even the transfer students were significantly younger than me. They attended community college or another school right out of high school, after a year or two they transferred to UNL. So I still did not fit in with them. There were two other students there that were slightly closer to my age, but still had very different life experiences. I think there could have been a lot more done to make people like me feel included. My tour group really didn't need to go on a tour and our tour guide, while very nice, did not know how to deal with transfer students who had been on campus before.

I think that students in my situation (I recognize that is a rare circumstance) should be allowed to be exuded, or put into a different group or have NSE on the same day. While I was at NSE there was a lot of talk about being included. However, to be included you have to fit the status quot. I obviously do not fit the typical student profile. Making this transition to UNL is hard for my family. The university does very little for students who have similar situations as mine. I expected this, but was very dismayed when I discovered the extent of the exclusion.

I am sorry. If there are programs or clubs, or any other things for students like me and I have just not found them, or been informed of them. Maybe that is something that the tour guides need to be educated about.

Overall- my day yesterday sucked. I was asked TWICE by student guides if I was a student’s parent. Imagine how that made me feel. I left questioning my reasons for attending the university. The ONLY thing I liked about my day was meeting with my adviser.

I hope in the future the university does a little more to cater to the very non-traditional student.

-Now I hope it wasn't too bitchy, but I wanted to make a point. They do NOTHING for the non-traditional student. I hope this made an impact on someone.