It is important to note that most Americans tend to bathe and change clothes daily, as well as use deodorants and colognes. Americans tend to find natural body odors unpleasant. It is not an American custom to embrace in public or to stand close to someone while speaking to them. It is not the custom to be intimate or touch someone you do not know in public. It is important to become familiar with gestures and expressions before you display them.
Communication is the key to understanding.
If you do not understand, make sure you ask for an explanation. In this orientation, topics relevant to your stay at Clemson are addressed, questions answered and key administration personnel are introduced. It is also a chance for new students to mingle with more experienced students who may be of great help in the process of transition to the Clemson experience. This session offers basic information and the opportunity to meet faculty and other students from your major area. New and transfer students should also attend the appropriate graduate or undergraduate orientation offered at the beginning of the semester.