Welcome to UCLA

Sunday, August 25, 1996

By Linda Yoon

Summer Bruin Contributor

The heat of the summer brings to UCLA a glimpse of new
beginnings and additions to the Bruin community. They are the
incoming freshmen: braving three-day treks into the Freshman
Orientation program.

Ripe with quirky gimmicks and informative aids, the program is
available to help incoming students adjust to life at college. It
gives students the opportunity to view college beyond the
competitive edge of academics as Orientation counselors familiarize
the students with the campus and the lifestyle of a UCLA Bruin.

"The counselors seem more socially oriented than academically,"
said Greg Snyder, an incoming first-year undeclared student. "They
have all the information that we need but the whole time that we’re
here, we’re learning about how our life is going to be …"

Orientation counselors are looked to as guides, expected to
divulge the secrets of fitting in so that UCLA ceases to be just a
sea of faces.

"It’s … like a bit of a safety net, as far as meeting people
is concerned … I know it’ll help that first day if I know someone
…" said Erin O’Leary, an incoming first-year undeclared
student.

In order to equip themselves with the knowledge and ability to
be an Orientation counselor, the upperclassmen undergo intense
training beginning with a mandatory recruitment meeting in the
beginning of Winter quarter. The process continues with an
application, the personal/group interview, training throughout
Spring quarter, and finally a week-long retreat.

The main objective of the training is to teach counselors to
alleviate the confusion often felt by new students adjusting to
life on such a big campus. The counselors say the program requires
dedication.

"This isn’t like a part-time job. You’re living Orientation,"
said Masa Hayashi, a 1996 business economics/Japanese graduate.

For its participants, too, the itinerary is rigorous. When they
first arrive, the new freshmen hear presentations from UCLA staff
members, who discuss their own personal experiences with
college.

Day two is laced throughout by workshops, placement tests and
the commonly feared scheduling process.

The final day of the orientation is most significantly marked by
tours of the campus as well as presentations on issues like drug
and sexual abuse.

Orientation itself, counselors say, is a bonding process, not
solely concentrated on facts, but also on amusement to provide the
incoming freshmen a common ground when they enter UCLA as
students.

Counselors like Hayashi and Juanita Padilla, a 1996 dance
graduate, say the most popular aspect of orientation is the telling
of UCLA myths on the campus tour.

The infamous legends of Jim Morrison’s locker and the hapless
sixth step of Janss Steps have been well-organized and practiced,
by the counselors, who say the tours do not always go off without a
hitch.

"One thing that is really frustrating on the tour is that a lot
of people like to take it upon themselves to [tell the group]
‘don’t listen to what they’re saying, they’re lying’ …" Padilla
said. "But then again … we’ve had professors come up and listen
to the story, and then they say, ‘yeah, I remember when that
happened’ … and that’s so much fun when people play along
…"

Hayashi recalls one group’s trademark during the tour that
failed two years ago: the water-gun.

The Orientation groups were given water-guns to engage in water
fights when sighting or sighted by another group. Unfortunately,
innocent bystanders were sometimes accidentally squirted, and due
to complaints, less precarious humor took the place of
water-guns.

Many of the incoming freshmen chose UCLA for their own personal
reasons; Crystal Borde, an incoming first-year communication
studies student, decided to attend UCLA for its reputation and the
opportunities that reputation will provide after graduation.

Katherine Weir, an incoming first-year undeclared student,
favored the diversity and options UCLA has to offer. Whatever the
reasons may be for their decision to come to UCLA, the incoming
freshmen often said that the Freshman Orientation program helped
significantly in reducing their fears and smoothing the transition
from high school to college life.

"I like going to college for a brief stay … I was getting a
little bit worried about it …" Snyder said. "But coming here,
everyone is really nice, it’s made me feel a lot better about it,
I’m not anxious about it …"

Looking back on their three-day stay, students said their fears
about the size of UCLA were also quelled.

"My first reaction was that … this is big. I’ve been on some
other campuses and it’s, like, big and almost intimidating," said
Andy Perkins, an incoming first-year psychology student. "This is
big, but I know I already like it here … it’s cheery … it’s
kind of welcoming almost when I came on."

The students express their newfound confidence that will return
with them in fall quarter as they walk to their first class and
avoid the sixth step of Janss Steps.

JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin

Tiffany Chan (center), an incoming freshman, discusses the
possibilities of college life with members of her orientation
group.JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin

Following a "wellness" workshop in Haines 39, Juanita Padilla’s
and Anna Pesch’s orientation groups congregate nearby to discuss
issues regarding rape awareness, drug and alcohol (ab)use and
sex.