CSUN held freshman orientations starting Tuesday, Aug. 11 as part of welcoming new students for the Fall 2009 semester. The New Student Orientation (NSO) helps students become familiar with and obtain important information about the campus. The NSO also helps students get involved with clubs and organizations.
The orientation sessions were all-day events and lasted for two weeks. The new students were divided into groups, each group consisting of about 20 students. Each day was designated for a particular college, and there were two days assigned for undeclared/undecided students.
A central focus of the orientation sessions was to give students an opportunity to meet with clubs and organizations represented on campus. CSUN offers more than 100 clubs and organizations to choose from, and students can create new ones.
“There are always new clubs because obviously you can just grow and start it yourself,” said second-year orientation leader Rachel Godfrey. Godfrey, 20, is a junior business marketing major.
“I definitely recommend that ( new students) get involved in some form of club or organization on campus because it helps them connect to it and, you know, feel like they love CSUN and not just go to class and go home,” Godfrey said. “It gives them something to motivate them to do well in school too.”
Some incoming freshmen, even before being introduced to clubs and organizations on campus, were already considering joining certain clubs and organizations.
Leslie Hernandez, a 17-year-old electronic and computer engineering major, is interested in joining an art club.
“I think I’m going to go in (for) some sort of art. I like drawing and designing things,” Hernandez said.
Randy Myles, a business management major, is interested in joining clubs that involve physical training.
“I’m interested in joining the basketball club. I registered for a class,” he said. Myles, 18, is also interested in joining the walking club.
At orientation, the new students have about 30 minutes to network with the clubs and organizations on campus in the University Student Union. Although 30 minutes is not enough time for students to check out everything, they have the chance to come across organizations that may interest them.
Maryam Elgeneidy, 18, has not chosen a major yet. But she said the orientation was eye opening, and that she is now interested in the student exchange program.
“There’s a wide variety of clubs so anyone can join and they are not missing out,” Elgeneidy said.
