The newest group of Life Chiropractic College West students arrived on campus Friday for orientation. The traditional beginning of the Life West student experience featured a full day of programs designed to help the future chiropractors get off to smooth starts ahead of the upcoming winter quarter.
After the first-quarter students signed in with members of the admissions and student life departments, they gathered in Café au Life for introductions. These included discussions on why they chose careers in chiropractic and what compelled them to attend Life West.
“I took a job as a rehab assistant at a chiropractic office,” Melinda Pham explained. “When I worked at the chiropractic office, I realized that chiropractic was much more than just adjustments. The doctor worked with chiropractic biophysics, and that really interested me.”
“I chose chiropractic because I liked the idea of using the body as a natural healer,” Izamar Contreras said. “I chose Life West because I loved how warm and inviting everyone was. I wanted to be around that for the next three years.”
A number of new students specifically said their desires to attend Life West were fueled by stops at Champions Discovery Weekend, an event held for prospective students multiple times each year.
“I chose Life West because Champions Weekend was great,” Aahana Chugh said. “I liked the togetherness and community the school represents.”
“It was amazing,” Aziza Turner added when talking about her Champions Discovery Weekend experience. “This school is like a tribe, and I excel when I’m with a good group of people who all want the same thing.”
The slate of activities also included sessions with students, interns and staff members. The schedule featured campus tours, as well as introductions to members of student council, a group lunch and a rundown of what to expect during the first week of classes.
In these meetings, members of the Life West community urged newcomers to build support systems and take advantage of all Life West has to offer, including the school’s wide variety of clubs and student activities.
“You will be challenged, whether it’s academically, personally or even spiritually,” Student Life Manager Dani Lorta said. “You need to have some tools in place to deal with those things. That’s one of the most amazing things about chiropractic. It looks at the whole person. We look at you as whole people, and we want to give you whole opportunities for healing and growth.”
The winter quarter starts Monday, Jan. 6, and concludes with finals week, which is scheduled for March 16-20.
