UCLA ORIENTATION WEEKEND DAY #1 | College Talks

Hello, fellow Nurds!

It's Saturday evening here in SoCal and I returned from New Student Orientation Thursday evening when it started raining. 85-degree Fahrenheit weather and rain. Perfect. : |

This starts off my first College Talks post. I can't believe that it's already September! I officially move in in 19 days!! 

Disclaimer: 

• Since this reflects my experience at UCLA, my experiences may not replicate those at your school (if you don't attend UCLA), though I hope that they are similar to yours, whether you go to UCLA or not. 
• I will bold any advice I have. I hope to not give away any surprises, but then again, there are a lot of things you'll experience in this short amount of time. I took some pictures and some of them are from UCLA's twitter account (you could follow me in the process) to compensate for the amount of tedious reading below. Feel free to skim! 
• Since there is a lot of information that goes through these three days and since I will basically summarize my experiences as well as what to expect and advice, I will separate this post into three posts--one for each orientation day. I will post Day 2 tomorrow and Day 3 by Monday, September 4.

Okay, let's start!

DAY #1

My orientation weekend was from August 29th-31st and I left my house at 6 A.M.-ish, considering I live about an hour's drive away. My dad dropped off my mother at work and next thing you know, I'm asleep only to wake up to find my father and sister (who is in the passenger seat) struggling to find the area to drop me off. 

After asking around a bit, we found the area: Sunset Village. I got out of the car, looked around a bit and immediately thought Damn, with a deep exhale, this is going to be a fucking hot day. And I was right. 

So I made my way toward a line, wherein I was supposed to sign a contract regarding my dorm room for my stay there. It's a small contract and yes, I read the contract because, well, it was a small contract. Sign that shit and make your way to your dorm, lugging around your bags. For the three days that you're there, expect to be in elevators that are 100% packed, so I suggest taking the stairs, which is a struggle, but is less frustrating than waiting to get in a free elevator while sweaty from walking around in the 95-degree weather all day. 

Rieber Terrace

I was one of the first people to arrive on time, so was able to be the first to arrive at my dorm, in Rieber Terrace. All incoming students will spend the duration of the orientation in Rieber Terrace. If you're able to do early arrive, there is an extra fee. If you find that it's necessary (i.e. if you're an out-of-state or international student, early arrival isn't a necessity, but it is recommended so that you arrive on time), don't hesitate and just pay the fee so that you don't have to worry about arriving late. Just be on the safe side. Anyone that arrives past 10 A.M. PST will not be allowed to stay.  I was on the sixth floor, found my dorm, and much to my luck, my key didn't work. Surprise, surprise. 

Luckily, someone else was in the same position, so we went down to the front desk where they re-coded our keys (as the keys are reused each year, activated when a room is used and de-activated when it's not used--not just anyone could use a key). It eventually worked (and then didn't again, but that's beside the point). Since I was still the first there, I looked outside the window, which did not have much of a view, but a nice sunshine. I dropped my stuff and looked in the closets, drawers, and the shared bathroom. Tip: bring hand soap, or in the very least, hand sanitizer to carry around with you while on campus. I would have to exit the building and enter another one just to find an available restroom to wash my hands in. I felt pretty filthy (but then again, so does everyone else, at the end of the day). 

I settled myself in and did some of my midterms (remember that I'm taking online summer classes?) before one of my roommates arrived. Since I wasn't given a schedule, I asked her if she knew what we were supposed to do and where we were supposed to go. She knew alright. We went down the elevator and departed with some girls we chatted with in the elevator. Down some stairs and lo and behold, we were in a quad that I would later forget about, leading me to get lost hours later. But I'm not there yet. By the way, I'm stupid (if you didn't already know that) and you'll see that throughout these few posts regarding my experience at orientation. 

The descent view from my window.

We arrived at a table where we were to receive our Bruin cards (basically, our ID's). If you didn't take your picture ahead of time, don't worry; the people at the desk will tell you that you will have several opportunities to do so throughout orientation. So they'll give you a sheet with the name of your New Student Advisor (NSA), which is basically an upperclassman who is usually in your major. He or she will basically be your leader throughout orientation, leading activities, offering advice, and giving you a tour, etc. If you do not attend UCLA, you may have a similar person. 

I found my leader (who was holding a bedazzled sign) and group, but not before getting a doughnut or two provided by student volunteers. You will have to write down your AP scores and any other college credits you may have fulfilled prior to attending orientation. It may be helpful to bring your AP, SAT, ACT, IB, TOEFL, and any other test scores you may have as well as your high school and possible community college credits. It will save you time; I can assure you. You will also take a survey. It's pretty lengthy but self-explanatory. You'll see why they ask you to take this survey.

When all is well and you kind of get to know the group you'll be sticking with for the next two-and-a-half days, you go on a little tour down Bruin Walk and into a building (I forget which one, as you'll be seeing many buildings throughout the orientation). It's a grand ball room I think (Indeed, I just checked and yes, it's the Ackerman Grand Ballroom). You'll actually go to this room several times throughout orientation. In this room, you'll receive a special Bruin Welcome! Watch some videos, ultimately be proud of the fact that you got accepted into this wonderful institution, and find out the reason behind the survey. It's a national survey, that compares the results of the total number of incoming students with all incoming students at all colleges participating in the survey throughout the nation. You will see last year's survey. Since you just turned yours in, you obviously can't see your year's results, but they should be roughly the same as last year's. 

UCLA Panoramic

After, you'll eat lunch with your group, which is a great chance to get to know them! Personally, I didn't (ambivert alert), but I encourage you to. 

You will soon return to the Ackerman Grand Ballroom for two more assemblies, with a ten-minute break in-between. They tell you not to use your phone, so keep yourself occupied somehow. Personally, I read for one of my classes, but then again, I also took seven naps so . . .  If you attend another school, you will have similar assemblies. They have to do with school policies on safety, academic character traits (at UCLA, it's R.A.I.S.E., which means Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service, and Excellence). The one thing to take away from the assemblies is that they're strict on their disciplinary actions towards students who do not follow R.A.I.S.E. Keep that in mind. You might actually win a prize in the process. 

Afterwards, you'll be able to go to a room with your NSA and group and check out your degree requirements. Make sure to ask plenty of questions. Others may have the same questions and your NSA is usually an upperclassman in your major, so they've most likely taken courses that you're supposed to take! Ask for clarification and make sure to listen as well. These are requirements--major and school-wide requirements. If the word "requirements" doesn't scream LISTEN to you, I don't know what will. 

"I got out of the car, looked around a bit and immediately thought Damn, with a deep exhale, this is going to be a fucking hot day. And I was right." 

For UCLA specifically, there is an optional activity with your group wherein you get to travel Westwood and shop (YaY), albeit, you have the opportunity to buy a toy so that by Day 3 the NSA's will collect all of the toys and donate them to the UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital. It's charitable and you get to travel Westwood, shop (especially for soap, food, or essentials that you forgot at home), and volunteer. DO IT!! Because I am an ambivert and had already had enough social activity in the past several hours, I try to find my dorm, and this is where I travel around campus, which was lovely, but I was still lost. I really wish I could have taken photos, but my phone was dying. Sorry :/ If you haven't realized how dumb I am by now, you definitely know. Tip: don't go walking alone. You're new to campus and so is everyone else, so be new and discover the campus together. If you do get lost, ask for directions. Don't be embarrassed if you'll think that others will judge you for being a 1st-year or freshman. It doesn't take that long to ask for directions and people are usually kind, so do it. It'll save time and perspiration. Trust me, it took me an hour to find my dorm. AN HOUR!!! Yeah, you don't need to remind me how moronic I am. 

Since I have horrendous spatial skills, I kept going in the same area but failed to realize that I just had to go up a long flight of stairs and make a right. *face palm* Not my brightest moment. It was sunny and I was bright with a superfluous amount of sweat the drenched even my underpants that I actually became uncomfortable to walk with out my underwear literally rubbing me the wrong way (which you didn't need to know, but that's what you get XD).

I eventually returned to my room after an uncomfortably rank elevator ride up (as other students were sweaty). I met my other roommate and immediately dashed to the shower. Bring shampoo, conditioner, and any other bathroom essentials as well as any accessories, backup clothes, deodorant, etc. DEFINITELY bring shower slippers. Although the shower gets cleaned by a maintenance crew, you never know what the other people who are sharing that shower with you have (i.e. athlete's foot) and you certainly don't know what others have done in that shower. 

Afterwards, I think I had time to do some more of my midterm, before going straight to lunch. My NSA called our meet-up place Hogwarts. Our group would meet up there after times, like lunch, when we were perhaps separated from each other. Yes, I got lost and could find Hogwarts after lunch, but that's beside the point. During lunch, they'll have an activities fair, which includes clubs and organizations at your school that are trying to recruit students. It's not Club Rush (which is during ZeroExpect a lot of people handing out fliers for their organizations and clubs. Don't expect to always take them though if you know you're just going to throw them away. Relax. Get to know your group or other peers you've met along the way. If you are coming to college with a friend, feel free to hang out with them during this time. 

Following lunch, we attended another meeting in Ackerman Grand Ballroom, though I HIGHLY suggest that you LISTEN to this one, as it does discuss serious themes. That means phones off and try not to snooze. I understand that you might have woken up incredibly early or stayed up all night in anticipation for orientation, but it is like 7 P.M. after all, so I don't care if you have to pin your eyes and donkey ears open; LISTEN! The assembly displays a panel of upperclassmen or alumni and their experiences with adversity, coping with a new campus, and diversity. 

Afterwards, you and your group will find a room to discuss the messages behind the panelists' stories and how you may or may not connect with them. I encourage you to open up. This is your orientation group and 9 times out of 10, they are people in your major--the first people in your major (and in general) that you will meet on campus before officially starting. So open up, as I'm sure others will too. You'll find that your group members to struggled and that their stories influence their lives and connected them to you. You are crossing paths with yet another person who got accepted to such a prestigious university. Take advantage of that while you have it. This, I actually did. I'm pretty vocal as you can tell from this blog. I told my story and so did most of my peers and I do not regret that because doing so made me feel closer to them. 

Thereon, you go to UCLA's annual Cabaret, performed for freshman by the NSA staff. Fun! School pride, subtle joshes toward USC (or you rival school), dancing, and pop songs. Oh my!

Immediately after, you will most like wait to eventually be shoved through a door by sweaty, energized incoming freshman and thrust into what the NSA's have organized as "Club Jamba," which is a party at Jamba Juice after hours (which sounds like a bad title of an equally poor Broadway musical: Jamba Juice: After Hours. Doesn't it have the bad musical gist about it? No? Just me? Okay.) If you are the party type and mood, this is your time to dance and scream and play casino games and take pictures in a photo booth, or be a schlub like me and leave to go to your room to do your homework. *face palm* 

Again, that's just me. I do want to mention that since it is night time, after all, don't go walking alone. The buddy system. Period. You may get lost, attacked, or worse, so be on the safe side. Unless you know the campus police department number by heart. Yeah, I thought so.  

I did get to know my roommates more and eventually crashed from social exhaustion (but not before washing up, of course). Last tip: bring a blanket and sweater. No questions asked. You'll thank me.

If you have any questions about your orientation, whether at UCLA or not, please ask me below! I would be glad to help!!