Stanford Welcomes New Class To Cardinal Family

Incoming students were treated to a sparkling campus last week when Stanford University opened its doors for the new school year. Every lamp post had been shined, every flag raised, every piece of grass clipped, every window polished, every leaf blown away and every sign in place.

More than 1600 incoming freshmen, transfer students and their families descended on the university last Monday from nearly every corner of the globe.

The program, called New Student Orientation (NSO), featured hundreds of lectures, presentations, performances, activities, athletic events and of course, the annual convocation by the university president and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.

Morgan McCluskey, a freshman from Kansas City, Mo., described the hectic nature of the activities. "They kept us extremely, extremely busy," she said. "But sometimes we took breaks and just rode around campus [on bikes]."

While the program had events for sophomores, graduate students and transfer students as well, the true focus remained almost entirely on incoming freshmen. But moreso, NSO provided students with the intangible experience of finding a new family: a loving and supportive system of peers and educators which makes Stanford the stellar institution that many believe it to be.

Freshman Stephanie Goss of Villa Park, Calif. experienced this sense of community. "My favorite part was really getting to bond," Goss said. "The band run was super fun. All of our activities have been great...We're really becoming like a family."

McCluskey agreed. "There were dozens of us down in the [dorm] lounge hanging out until like, 3 a.m.," McCluskey said. "…Our dorm really gets along."

And while the university poured incredible funding into the event, it's a placebo of sorts. Sure, parents have the pleasure of witnessing their student's transition to the university firsthand through a number of high profile ceremonies. Arguably though, the aim of these hundreds of scheduled activities was to introduce the incoming students to the university in a setting that encouraged them to adapt, find their niche and make new friends. It's a smorgasbord of possibilities, a spiritual boost and often, a completely overwhelming, stressful, surreal blur.

But, it was activities like discussing life until the wee hours of the morning that truly embody the spirit of the program. While each and every Stanford student had a unique story to share, NSO helped them weave their stories together to find a commonality that lasts beyond their four years on the Farm.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: On the afternoon of the 14^th, students and parents began the festivities by attending the university's 120^th opening convocation ceremony before moving into their residences. Newly-appointed Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Harry Elam, delivered a moving speech about the achievements and potential of Stanford's newest students. The following day, a full day of informational presentations was capped off by the annual evening performance of "Faces of Community" (or simply, "Faces"), a production of speakers and performances designed to introduce students to the realities of college living and address any lingering concerns and questions about non-academic and social aspects of attending Stanford.  

Aaron Goebel, a freshman from San Diego, said that this performance was his favorite part of the whole event. "'Faces' was my favorite," he said. "It was real, you know? Real people experiencing real conflict. It shows that Stanford isn't always as Utopian as it seems."

Thursday's events were similar, with several opportunities to explore academic advising and research opportunities and another performance, "The Real World: Stanford," in the evening. "The Real World: Stanford" focused largely on health concerns regarding college life, including mental health issues, healthy eating habits, alcohol use and sexuality.

Freshman Will Dannemann of New Cannaan, Conn. spoke of the event's focus on preparing students for the challenges that may face them in the four years to come. "I was expecting it just to be a lot of parties, because that's what my friends were doing at other schools," Dannemann said. "But it was more about getting to know people and introducing everything in a way that makes sense in the long-term."

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: Friday brought more of the same, with freshmen getting to explore even more academic opportunities at the university before attending the annual president's reception at the Hoover House in the afternoon. It is one of the few opportunities that the entire class will all be in one location, simply enjoying a picnic and getting to know one another. In the evening, many of the incoming freshmen ventured to the Arrillaga Alumni Center to enjoy an evening performance from world renowned bassist, Victor Wooten.

On Saturday, freshmen across campus all traveled to the Stanford Stadium for pre-game festivities ahead of Stanford's football game against Wake Forest. The atmosphere was frenetic but amazingly unified, with chants of "Go Stanford!" breaking out every few plays, as thousands of new freshmen and current students participated in age-old traditions, like, for example, jingling keys during Stanford kick-offs. The Red Zone, the student section of the stadium, was filled beyond capacity, and many students packed parts of the upper deck as well as the nineteenth-ranked Stanford football team dismantled Wake Forest 68-24.

Later that night, hundreds of students attended the BROC (Black Recruitment and Orientation Committee) Party in Tressider Student Union. The dance party featured a DJ, who blasted rap, hip hop and R&B until 1 a.m.

Sunday, and the final day before classes officially began, freshmen filed into Memorial Auditorium to participate in an intimate, moderated conversation with three critically-acclaimed authors. Over the summer, students were asked to read Anne Fadiman's The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Tracy Kidder's Strength in What Remains, and Joyce Carol Oates' "The Undesirable Table." During this moderated conversation, they were then able to ask questions and interact with these three authors. It is a truly memorable experience that every Stanford student remembers.

Other events included tours, sponsored meals, and open houses for community centers, programs and departments. It suffices to say that the schedule for NSO had 24 pages solely dedicated to Tuesday through Sunday's activities.