2012 marks our second awesome year of publishing stuff every UB student should know, but nobody seems willing to say out loud.

What?

The Buffalo Disorientation Guide is your guide to everything about UB and the City of Buffalo and its neighborhoods in a way you will never get from official orientation, university administration, or even some of your friends. We feature content that is written by students for incoming students who want to know more about the what, why, and how of many details of university life — from what movie theatres to check out to what you can expect from state, local, and university politics.

We want to give incoming students the knowledge to make the most of their university careers and find the people and things that excite their imaginations and enrich their lives.

Why?

There is a distinct lack of information about the history, heritage, and current issues surrounding the university made available to incoming students. Our goal is to ameliorate those effects for students arriving on campus this fall.

We were inspired by the tradition of Disorientation Guides at UC Berkeley, a group of students who also put together a similar guide to their campus. We think that local knowledge is the first tool for students who are interested in engaging with their community, both on-campus and off.

Buffalo — both the university and the city — are plagued by issues but also hold a great deal of promise. We want to paint a realistic picture of what life is like for students here, without ignoring the tough stuff, but also exposing some of the hidden gems of our city and region.

Can I get involved?

Of course you can! Submissions are currently open for our print edition; submissions will remain open even after it goes to press for exclusive online content. If you’re interested in getting involved in editing, layout, and other administrative and organizational work, drop us a line at submit@buffalodisorientation.org with a “Volunteer” subject line.

Aside from that — tell your friends! We need more content, volunteers, and helpers for distribution. Join us!