What Exactly Happens At Freshman Orientation At CSUN

Freshman orientation at CSUN is an exciting and nervous time before college officially begins! This is exactly what to expect and look forward to!

Freshman Orientation, the final step before you officially start university. It’s a nervous time for everyone, but the idea of being introduced to exciting new opportunities definitely overshadows it. Whether you’re dreading it or can’t wait for it, freshman orientation at CSUN is here!

1. Dancing with the NSO leaders.

Right after your check-in in the USU, you’ll probably be waiting with your group for the day to officially begin. Take this chance to dance with all of the NSO (New Student Orientation) leaders! They’re trying to make this experience memorable for you, so why not get up and dance to Disney songs?

2. Introductions

Ice breakers are incredibly common, but they really do allow you to be more comfortable with the group that you’ll be getting to know that day. This is a time to learn about people and hopefully make some friends that you can stick with for the rest of the day. You may also learn you have a major or class in common with someone before even setting foot in the classroom!

3. Opening Presentation

Sitting in an auditorium isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but the heartwarming welcome from the school president, Dianne F. Harrison, and the introduction into your school of choice is enough to get anyone excited for the day ahead.

4. The Tour

Tours are a great way to get acquainted with the school, but this one is even more personal. You’ll get to ask your NSO leaders about any doubts you may have. This is a great time to ask about the school’s horrible parking situation or how to handle 15-minute breaks between classes. They’ll be able to give you helpful tips and tell you about their personal experiences. This is a great time to see where your classes are too, so you’re not desperately searching for the building you need on the first day of classes! During the tour, you’ll be placing a rose on Matty the Matador’s statue, commemorating your transition into the university lifestyle.

5. Food!

After the tour, the groups have a competition to see who came up with the best cheer during their ice breakers. Then you get to eat a free meal that comes with a free water bottle and sit down to get to know everyone in your group even more! You also get a second chance to ask more questions about anything that you may have on your mind.

6. TAKE 28

After all of this, you get to go back to the auditorium with a free shirt. There you’ll be immersed into the world of TAKE 28, a performance group at CSUN that puts on a series of skits showing many common negative experiences in the college community. From drunk driving to eating disorders, they’ll give you scenarios for everything as well as ways that you can talk about it. This is probably the most experience of the day and it is followed by a debriefing session with your group members.