To "get one's bearings" means to figure out one's position or understand one's surroundings, either literally (like finding direction in a new city) or figuratively (like becoming familiar with a new job or environment).
The idiom originates from nautical terms, referring to a sailor using a compass to find their direction, and can also mean to get one's thoughts or emotions under control before taking action.
- From Google with editing
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The coming few weeks will be a very exciting time for students, from elementary to college, for a new school year.
The first week for university freshmen is called orientation week in US, but "frosh week" in Canada. This would be the time that new students get their bearings.
I still remember the first time driving my son and his belongings to Queen's University, where he obtained his bachelor degree in Life Sciences. After unloading his luggage up to the dormitory, he waved to me: "Bye Mom" and disappeared quickly, leaving me standing by the car speechless. And hubby needed to drive me to the nearby shore of Lake Ontario to cry my eyes out.
Actually he applied to 3 Ontario Universities, including UofT, all were engineering programs per my suggestion, and was accepted by all. But he added the Queen's Life Sciences program himself afterwards without telling me.
When he was back for the first home visit, he told me about his experience in getting his bearings, and how badly the engineering freshmen were treated in the "frosh week" at Queen's (see an old pic below 
), to further prove that he had made the right choice.
For myself, I prefer getting my bearings slowly. How about you? 
