On the other side of Golden Bear Orientation (GBO).
What does it mean to be an integral part of the largest college orientation program in the nation? In my experience, it’s thrilling, heartwarming, and utterly exhausting but so, so worth it. If you’re interested in becoming a GBO leader at UC Berkeley, read on to discover the basics of what the Orientation Leader (OL) experience is like!
Timeline
January: The application. The first step towards being an Orientation Leader (OL) is filling out the application. It usually becomes available in January and consists of a few short–answer questions.
February – March: The community. You’ll get an email letting you know if you’ve been accepted, and from there you’ll meet your OL Pack and your Orientation Mentor (OM). It’s like you’re in a GBO group for orientation leaders: you’ll train along with your OL Pack, with your OM there to guide you! This is meant to provide you with a structured way to form a community so you can have that means of support throughout your orientation leader journey.
Melissa Mora-Gonzalez, a 2023 GBO Leader, and her OL Pair Harjot Kaur.
Mid-August: The training. The spring training ands well as the August Intensive Training teach you the skills and background information you’ll need to be an effective leader and a representative of the campus. Training teaches you how to conduct conversations with your students as well as how best to plan out your GBO week schedule.
August: GBO. The hectic week that kicks off the first year’s college experience! You’ll show your students around campus and use the skills you’ve learned during training to help your group get acclimated to Berkeley.
August: OL Closing Ceremony. To celebrate your hard work, there’s a closing ceremony the day after GBO featuring speeches, awards, gifts, and more!
Meeting Your Community
Throughout the training process and during GBO, there are plenty of ways to form connections with other OLs and immerse yourself in a new group of people!
Reva (second from left) with members of her OL Pack.
OM Check-Ins. You’ll have two scheduled check-ins with your Orientation Mentor, either online or in person. The first is a one-on-one meeting that happens soon after you’re accepted. Your OM will go over key dates and requirements and answer your questions. Since orientation leaders work in pairs, if you didn’t specify a partner on your application, your OM will also ask about your preferences in order to most effectively pair you up with another OL! You and your pair will then check in with your OM over the summer to make sure you’re both on the same page and ready for orientation.
Training. Although much of the OL training consists of personal reflection and active listening, there are plenty of opportunities to mingle with your pack as well. Through dance lessons, pack activities, and dress-up contests, you’ll be sure to have a fantastic time bonding with the people around you!
GBO. As you’re welcoming the incoming students and taking them through orientation activities, you’ll find that it’s easy to connect with incoming students as well as fellow GBO leaders.
Training & Responsibilities
If you’re considering becoming an OL this fall, make sure you can commit to the following requirements:
OL Spring Training. This one-day commitment in the spring is meant to introduce you to your OL Pack (and to your OL pair if you were randomly assigned!). You’ll do some icebreaker activities and have guided conversations with your pair about handling conflict and sharing responsibilities during GBO.
August Intensive Training. This training happens over the course of three days in early August after summer classes end.
GBO. Make sure you’ll be available for the entirety of orientation week! It’s much easier to keep track of a large group when there’s more than one person in charge. So, expect to be busy for the whole duration of GBO so that your partner isn’t left to take on responsibilities by themselves.
OL Closing. Prizes, contests, and gifts galore! The day after GBO ends, OLs and OMs are invited to a closing ceremony to reflect on how GBO went and celebrate the whole team’s hard work.
Ready to make a difference?
By becoming a GBO leader, you can take part in a rewarding experience that teaches you so much about leadership, community building, and the Berkeley campus. Be sure to keep an eye out for the application in spring!
Reva Gokhale, Class of 2027, is majoring in society and environment.
Want More?
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- Discover 3 sustainability-focused student orgs on campus.