LUBBOCK, TX—Every summer, a few thousand recent high school and junior college graduates travel to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech University's Red Raider Orientation.

The two-day event, which is required for both incoming freshman and transfers, allows students to experience life on campus, meet new people, and register for classes. Students attending RRO stay in a residence hall, eat meals on campus, and spend time at the Recreation Center and Leisure Pool. They also attend organization fairs and information sessions. Students are later separated by college to meet with their academic advisors and plan classes for their first semester. Parents who accompany their children to orientation can attend mixers and information sessions during student-only events.

Red Raider Orientation is led by upperclassman students known as the RRO Crew. Sara Sorge, a senior from Wichita Falls, Texas, is part of this group. "My favorite part [about orientation] is when we get the chance to mingle with students and sit down with them one-on-one and help them through stuff," said Sorge. She also said she enjoys teaching Texas Tech traditions and spreading school spirit. When asked why she became part of the RRO Crew, she said “I remember being really nervous about my schedule, what classes to take, how I was going to make friends. The students from my orientation were so reassuring. I wanted to be a part of making the college experience less scary.” According to Sorge, there are 60 members of the RRO Crew and between 300 and 400 students per session. There are 20 orientation sessions over the span of ten weeks.

Monica Rubio is a transfer student from McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. She attended a session during week five of RRO. Rubio is pre-med and plans to major in nutrition and dietetics. "The info sessions have been really helpful. I've also really enjoyed just hanging out and meeting new people," said Rubio.

On August 20, residence halls will open and new students will arrive on campus. In the following week, students will have further opportunity to get involved during Welcome Week. Classes begin August 28. According to the Texas Tech University Institutional Research Factbook, TTU's freshman enrollment for 2016 was 4,763. No official figures have been released on the freshman enrollment for 2017.