r/Lehigh • u/RightReasons76 • Aug 05 '26
Best use of Sunday before orientation
Hi Lehigh! We are from Chicago and are flying out with our freshman son next week. He is starting Marching 97 camp on Saturday, and I want to hang around for the first freshman orientation on Monday. What do you recommend I do on Sunday? I was hoping to get a feel for the campus and learn what/where key resources are, but I realize a lot of this will be covered Monday. Thanks!
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u/Holiday_Flower_9703 Aug 06 '26
I just graduated in May 2026! My parents were just excited as you abt the 97 community (letters/emails home, photos wtc.) but Marching Band is something that your son should treat with caution. When I was a member as a freshman, i got inadvertently roped into some weird sexual stuff i didn’t want to be a part of. From my experience experience, the marching band has an on-campus stereotype that is extremely negative. I quickly realized it was difficult to be both in the 97 and in regular society
One of the qualities I liked to talk about during university tours was the interdisciplinary and collaborative quality of undergrad at Lehigh. Ironically, all of my former 97 friends mostly stayed friends w the 97. Few people branched out, and if they did it was due to classes or living near each other etc. There is a clear 97 group which seems to avoid campus integration and is the victim of many stereotypes. I would caution your son and encourage him to pursue ECs that are separate from the 97
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u/RightReasons76 Aug 06 '26
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sorry to hear about what happened - that explains why there are a couple of anti hazing things on the 97 agenda and I wondered about it.
I suppose it will be up to my son to decide what activities he joins, and whether or not he clicks with the 97 kids. But he’s been in band all his life so I honestly can’t think of a better way to get integrated into a group on campus, at least at the very beginning.
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u/Smooth_Chocolate_586 Aug 06 '26
Thats not true, their reputation is not extremely negative. They are not any more cliquey than greek life, outing club, or club sports etc
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u/Ok-Use3256 Aug 07 '26
Damn where does the time go… first summer where I won’t be returning in the Fall. Explore as much of campus as you can, don’t sleep in, there will be an orientation schedule and they should indicate sessions that are open to families. Can’t believe that was four years ago… best four years of my life. If you have extra time, check out third and fourth streets and then North Side bethlehem on Main Street (street where Hotel Bethlehem is). Can also check out nearby shopping centers like Airport Rd where the target is, Whitehall Walmart, and the Promenade where the nearest AMC is. Check out Mountaintop campus as well. I wish I did more during my time 😔
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u/rahulyouareacheater Aug 08 '26
familiarize yourself with "emergency/basic needs" locations that your son may need to utilize as a student. for example, local grocery stores (CTown, Ideal Food Basket), CVS, pharmacy, local urgent care, hospital, target/walmart, Lehigh Valley Mall.
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u/Cool_View_5297 Aug 05 '26
You should leave your son alone when orientation ends. It’s important to let him come into his own.
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u/RightReasons76 Aug 05 '26
Just to clarify, it’s the parent orientation I’m staying for, not his orientation.
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u/Stillworkinhard Aug 05 '26
Does your child have everything they need because I remember doing a few target runs on that day as well. I miss Bethlehem so much . My go to was always park by the bookstore and shop a little. Then walked through south Bethlehem across the bridge and down Main Street on the north side. Of course you’d have to like to walk and have good weather otherwise drive. Bethlehem also has some decent restaurants on both sides.The elevated path through the old Bethlehem steel plant site is also really cool. Steel stacks also has a farmers market but I’m not sure which day. The campus is nice to wander through also. I’d drive to the other side of the mountain because your child will be spending a lot of time at the athletic fields.ill let others chime in and add more if I think of it.
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u/RightReasons76 Aug 05 '26
Great suggestions! We ordered a bunch of stuff to be delivered to the Target in Allentown but I’m sure we will be missing some things.
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u/mykepagan Aug 05 '26
Alumnus here. Explore the area around campus. Take your son across the river and walk around the North side of Bethlehem. Also the South side just off campus. Get to know where the good food is.
Check out Steel Stacks and the Levitt Pavilion… there may be some good music.
Bethlehem is waaay nicer now than it was when my wife & I were undergrads. It was a grimy steel town back then. Today it’s borderline hipster.
Also, I have to say that being in marching band is very beneficial for new college freshmen. My wife was in the Marching 97, and my daughter just graduated from “Lehigh North” (we didn’t push her too hard to go to Lehigh, so she went to a different engineer-heavy school that focuses more on her major). Being in marching band provides an instant social group, which is a very good thing when going to college away from home.