2024 In Person Oritation Summary
To better help incoming freshmen understand their school campuses and peers, CHINESE UNION from June 22 to July 8 hosted six in-person orientations in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. This event gathered 8 top schools: UCSD, UCD, WUSTL, UCI, UCB, UCLA, UCSB, and UW. In total, we had 29 sessions and over 2500 attendees, including students and parents
The orientation's core value is to help new students understand campus life, class selection, and the environment with sincerity. Senior students provided one-on-one Q&A sessions, ensuring that freshmen departing in September will have an easier time adapting to college life. The staff traveled over 4000 kilometers between Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, sharing their experiences with genuine enthusiasm and care to prepare a series of warm and joyful meetups for new students.
At the meetups, seniors introduced the basics of CHINESE UNION and the surrounding environment of the schools. New students received comprehensive information, including the overall and specific program rankings, geographic locations, and mascots of the schools. Additionally, the airport pickup service provided by CU was introduced. If you arrive at California’s international airports in September, you can register for CU's exclusive pickup service to get directly from the airport to the school vicinity, eliminating transportation worries.
The meetups also detailed the academic aspects, one of the primary concerns for new students. The academic calendar was first shown to help students understand the start and end dates of each term. Then, seniors introduced the General Education (GE) courses and housing options in various colleges. During the crucial course selection segment, they explained in detail how to use the school's online systems for course registration, methods to meet credit requirements, ways to choose majors, and how to view teacher evaluations.
In addition to academics, new students also need to understand the living environment and surrounding facilities of the university. Senior students carefully introduced practical information on daily necessities such as on-campus dining and nearby supermarkets. Everyone can find a lifestyle that suits them, whether on campus or in surrounding areas. They shared tips on renting apartments and various transportation options, including how to apply for public transportation cards, meal cards, and credit cards. Finally, they introduced offline activities organized by CU (night markets, singing performances, opening ceremonies) to enrich everyone's extracurricular life.
