In First-Year Orientation, Lauren Gibaldi and Eric Smith have compiled 16 diverse stories that will surely serve as comfort reading for any incoming college freshman. This cross-genre YA anthology follows the story of a different student in each entry upon their arrival for orientation day at the fictional Rolland College in upstate New York. The book showcases both the typical and atypical first college experience. Upperclassmen and alumni alike will be reminded of their own move-in day reading the anthology, and high school students will get a taste as these characters unpack their belongings in a new, unfamiliar place, saying goodbye to their families and hello to this new chapter of their lives.
The characters in First-Year Orientation are representative of all sorts of students with different backgrounds and interests: band kids, magic kids, kids in recovery, and kids who moved all the way across the country. Gibaldi and Smith carefully interconnect the stories. When the reader finishes a story, they will discover that a new character on an off chance meets a familiar one, partially unfolding another piece of the freshman orientation experience.
The first student we meet is Isaac, the magic kid. He loves tricks and illusions, but has not-so-gently learned that this is not the most popular interest. Isaac navigates the advice of his older cousin to reinvent himself, while also just trying to find out who he is. Isaac’s struggles with anxiety are mitigated by the addition of his emotional-support rabbit and the opportunity to forge new friendships that college brings.
A later story, “Mighty” by Kathleen Glasgow, mixes a unique student experience with a common one: childhood fame, and drug use and abuse. Former child star Ash McNally is returning to real life after a stint in rehab following her departure from show business. Longing for the life of a regular teenager, she craves a typical college experience that most incoming students dream about. She navigates encountering the partying scene as someone in recovery, realizing that the best policy is to avoid enabling situations entirely.
While the main focus of this book is capturing that slice-of-life feeling, it also experiments with other genres. It has the common Young Adult novel feature of romance, which is expected for a freshman college story. But it also dives into unexpected territory with sci-fi stories, featuring interdimensional travel and ghosts! Because of the diversity in experiences covered and genres featured, this book will appeal to a wide audience.
“The Secret Room” by Dana L. Davis is about a life-changing and reality-bending experience. Because of a rooming mix-up, PJ Klayson is given the once-in-a-lifetime chance to live in the coveted Doheney dorm building, the brand-new and very expensive student suites. She is excited but is troubled by the financial burden this will put on her single mom. PJ is temporarily placed in Gammel Hall, the dustiest and crustiest of dorms. Upon hearing from her temporary roommate that the place is possibly haunted, she is even less excited about her stay there. The girls locate a secret room hidden behind the dresser bolted to their dorm wall. After prying apart the screws and entering the room, PJ is brought into an entirely new world. Well, a world that is new to her, but certainly exists somewhere in the past. As she is thrust into the past, she ends up connecting with her family roots, and decides that she is happy to stay in ole Gammel Hall.
The paranormal theme appears throughout the book as several students describe near-ghost experiences. One story focuses on students both living and… not. “Ghost Hunting for the Intrepid” by Farah Naz Rishi follows retired ghost hunter Hira who decides to tackle the infamous Rolland Library Ghost head-on by exorcising it. However, the ghost persuades her to hold off on that and let him experience one last perfect day. The ghost, who Hira names Shelley, follows her around on her orientation day as they try to make it the best possible first day of school. Readers will find themselves identifying with both real and spectral students as they are optimistic about their first day of college.
Despite the inclusion of supernatural stories, the anthology does not shy away from real human experiences. There are characters that struggle with anxiety, grief, addiction recovery, and other mental health concerns. The characters have helpful coping mechanisms to deal with these problems and the school environment offers a helpful support network. This lets readers know that the college campus is a safe space for what students might be going through, and that there are resources available to support people with a range of different struggles and difficulties.
The stories also deal with real college experiences and mention underage drinking, drugs, and assault. They warn of the dangers of a college party. Within the first ten minutes of one student being at a frat party, they were groped and given an undisclosed pack of drugs. These things do happen—the college party scene can be a dangerous place—and this book does not shy away from that. In response, stories like “College Parties and Other Places to Find Your (Ex) Crush” by Kristina Forest and “About Face” by Phil Stamper embed party safety tips into their narratives. Such tips include always going to a party with a buddy, telling your friends before you leave the party and if you’re leaving with someone, and texting friends when you get back home. Going with a group, checking in with each other, and having a plan are crucial steps to safely enjoying a night out. What comes off as natural features of the stories and gestures of good faith are necessary going-out standards for the college scene, and the book makes party safety look fun.
A theme of identity emerges from each of these stories—finding yourself, reinventing yourself, mediating between the previous you and the you that you wish to be. The young adults in this book find themselves, or at least begin to find out who they would like to start becoming, through their connections with others.
Readers can purchase First-Year Orientation here.
First-Year Orientation
Lauren Gibaldi and Eric Smith
Candlewick Press
April 4th, 2023
336 pp.
Randee Wismer is a 2023 graduate of Drexel University’s English program. She spent her college career involved with non-profits and is especially interested in just outcomes for justice-involved people. She currently works with the Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity.