OTS F.A.Q.
I’m concerned that I will be overwhelmed---will I have the time and money for school and OTS?
Yes, in fact you will. OTS requires very little of your time and money. Dues are $150 per semester, and there is no pledge fee. We will also work with anyone that would like to arrange a “payment schedule.” We do not want money concerns to be the only reason you decide not to join OTS. As for time, we have 3-4 chapter meetings per semester, and 2-3 house clean-ups. We have lots of parties and dinners, but everything is optional, and we NEVER schedule events near exams. If we didn’t have time for OTS, we wouldn’t have nearly as many pleased and dedicated members!!! ☺
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What will I get out of being a member?
Most importantly, you get an instant support group. OTS boasts some of the friendliest people of the vet school – people who are willing to help you get accustomed to a new town and a new school. Only vet students will fully understand the stress and strain being placed on you as a freshman – OTS members will help you find ways of relaxing and realizing that in a year, anatomy WILL be over! OTS members are very diverse, coming from research and clinical backgrounds, aspiring to be large, small, mixed, exotic, and laboratory vets. Many groups at school focus on one aspect of practice (ex. Sports Medicine) or one specialty animal (ex. AAEP, AAFP) – at OTS you meet people who can open your eyes to new opportunities and new ideas about practice for many different fields.
If you want tangible benefits, we have those too. We have the most extensive test files of the vet school, which are VERY useful for exams and boards. We also have a huge kitchen for quick lunches between classes, and comfy sofas for short naps. Every Friday we all get together at the house at 4 p.m. for our weekly 4 O’clock Club, which is just a way for us to all wind down after a tough week of classes and tests. We usually have snacks and sodas available, and of course beer is always on tap! We also have a pool table, a foosball table, air hockey, ping pong, sand volleyball, a large TV, VCR, Playstation 2, and DVD player available 24/7 for all members and pledges. In addition to this we participate in a number of intramural sports.
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So how do I join?
It is a very easy process. Come to any of the rush events and sign the Guest Book or come to one or more of our Friday 4 O’clock Clubs. That is all you have to do to get a bid card. The more events you come to, the more people you will have a chance to meet and the more free food you will get. You will receive your bid card within the first few weeks of class. If you wish to pledge, sign the back of the bid card and return it to pledgemaster by the date specified. You will receive info concerning your pledge meetings and when to pay your dues. You will be initiated at the beginning of the Spring Semester. Until that time, however, you are treated as a full member (you come to all the parties for free, have full run of the house, etc.) except that you can’t attend the official chapter meetings. Your Pledgemasters (the people who tell you all about OTS at pledge meetings) will speak for you at chapter meetings. If you have any questions about OTS, vet school, or life in Auburn, feel free to contact Josh or Kelly for information. You can also call the OTS house at 502-OTS1.
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