What is GBO or Golden Bear Orientation?
How to use BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), campus tours, drag shows, sampling dining halls: These are just a few of the many things you learn in GBO or Golden Bear Orientation at UC Berkeley, a mandatory experience for all incoming Golden Bears. GBO begins a couple of days after you move in and ends a couple of days before classes start. For me, this time was chaotic, scary, and overwhelming at times, so hopefully knowing what to expect can ease some of that stress.
The night before GBO began, I was assigned to my group via email. It doesn’t always turn out this way, but my floor happened to be split into several different groups, so rather than being in a group with only my floor, I was in a group with students from two floors besides mine (but still in the same group as my roommates!). Commuting students and transfer students are also grouped together.
On the day of moving in, I was given some essentials—like my GBO wristband, a clear backpack, water bottle, my room keys, ID, and Clipper card—so I was ready to go for the first day of GBO.
On the first day of GBO, we showed up at the location we were told to go to in the email and found our Orientation Leaders (OLs) by looking for a sign with our group’s number. All OLs decorated their signs with recognizable designs—my OLs went with a National Parks theme and let us sign our names on the back.
My GBO group’s sign decorated with our names.
The Big Idea
GBO is intended to ease your transition into life at Cal—how much it helps is entirely up to you! Showing up to my group’s plans taught me to use the public transport in the Bay, gave me a sense of direction on campus and around the city, and allowed me to explore with my new friends.
Of course, not every piece of your GBO leader’s schedules will align with yours—I had some friends who still had lunch or dinner with their families, or even went on their own adventures—but there are some mandatory events. Your GBO leaders will provide the details, but know that it is absolutely essential to attend trainings and complete the safety quiz on bCourses. (It’s possible that a hold will be placed on your Spring semester enrollment if you do not complete these steps.)
So, What Happens?
To reiterate, every single GBO group has a different schedule of events, down to meal times and tour routes. Your leaders are there to provide you with information they would’ve found useful in their first year at Cal, and this certainly differs from OL to OL.
In my case, our leaders took us on what I’d call “learning tours.” One trip was to an Oakland A’s game—here they taught us how to use the BART. One day we went on a coffee tour where my OLs introduced us to their favorite study-and-sip spots, including some of my now-favorites like Cafe Milano, Gold Bean, and Elaichi. We sampled and found our way to all of the dining halls on campus, explored Telegraph, hiked the famous Big C Hike, took a bus down to the Marina, and so much more.
Everything your OLs plan for you is completely free for you to attend—in fact, you’ve already paid for it! I encourage you to make the most of this time. It’s probably the most time you’ll have to explore campus, Berkeley, and make friends.
(Left) One of my GBO OLs, Alea Dillow, my roommate, Shiloh Capiak, and I waiting to get on BART to make our way to the Oakland A’s game! (Right) Our game tickets.
Connections
Inevitably, you will make friends through classes, clubs, and everything else, but having a firm base of people that you live with makes it that much easier to curate your community at UC Berkeley.
For example, one of my friends from GBO happened to be in my Math 1B lecture, so we studied for that class together! It was easy to arrange because we lived in the same building, and really convenient and helpful.
Another tidbit that I’d highly recommend is staying in touch with your OLs. They’re mostly around your age, taking similar classes, likely enjoy some of the same activities, and would probably appreciate staying in contact. My friend group hangs out for studying and coffee with our OLs a few times a semester, and it’s genuinely fun.
The first time I met Oski was the day of the movie on the glade during GBO.
Make the Most of It! Tips from an Introvert
Attend whatever you’re up for: This doesn’t have to be every single activity, of course, but don’t be afraid of experimenting! On this note, do be conscious of what you’re attending, and ask your OLs questions when needed. This is something I learned when my GBO group went on the Big C Hike, and I wore my Doc Martens clogs because I didn’t realize how difficult the hike was… not the most practical hiking shoes! I wished I had asked my GBO leaders about the hike beforehand so I could be better prepared.
My GBO group at the summit of the Big C Hike!
Check the weather: I was certainly burned by this during my time in GBO… My OLs planned a lovely coffee tour around Berkeley, but about halfway through, it started raining—hard. I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts and was completely soaked. Had I thought to bring an umbrella, I would’ve been fine, but I had to go back to my dorm to change, which unfortunately made me miss another activity. Berkeley weather can be slightly unpredictable at times, so best to get in the habit of checking early on.
We hid inside of 1951 Coffee Company and I drank a hot chocolate while we waited for the rain to die down a bit.
Attend events outside of your group: My GBO cycle had lots of solo or non-GBO mandated activities, including a movie night on the Glade outside of Doe Library (we watched Shrek 2!), a carnival, a drag show, a posters-and-pizza night at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), and so much more! This is a time to explore and make friends inside and outside of your GBO group—don’t be afraid to dive into new things and meet new people.
Photos of some exhibitions that I explored at BAMPFA’s Posters and Pizza night.
Hydrate: Water will be your best friend during GBO. Sometimes you’ll be on an adventure with no access to water for an extended period of time—like a hike or tour—and you will undoubtedly appreciate past you for filling up a water bottle on your way out in the morning.
Keep in touch: Grab as many phone numbers as you can—make group chats, exploration plans, study groups, and whatever else! At the very least, you’re going to be living with the people in your GBO group, so it is absolutely no disservice to you or them to gather contacts. And as mentioned above, stay connected with your OLs if they are willing!
My GBO group’s last photo before we parted ways in front of the iconic Campanile.
GBO is a time of exploration and learning that you will likely never experience again. I truly encourage you to open up a little room in your heart and mind, and store every moment you can in there. Record every bit—journal, video diary, photos, etc. Take this time to explore Berkeley and its surrounding areas, Oakland and San Francisco included.
On that note, I wish you the absolute best in finding your way around this magical campus. Good luck, Golden Bears!
Milana Berhe, Class of 2028, is majoring in political science and astrophysics and minoring in creative writing.
Want More?
- Need some more guidance? Here’s a Back-to-school Checklist.
- Read about Reva’s First Month @ Cal.
- Some tips on Making Friends.
- If you enjoyed your GBO experience, consider applying to be a GBO Leader.