#imagineday

My experience was unique as my squad was the group of orientation leaders that lead orientation groups for direct entry first year Computer Science majors. We are also the last squad to do so because they are no longer accepting direct entry Computer Science students. It’s a shame, but because the department of Computer Science accepted too many students this year (e.g. we usually have 7 first years assigned to one orientation leader - my group had 13 first years) people can only declare a Computer Science major after first year.

Being an orientations leader was fun! Our schedule for Imagine Day went like this:

- 7:45 am: all orientation leaders check in

- 8:30 - 9:00 am: Had a morning meeting with the first years (during which we would wait in the field holding up a sign with the orientation group’s name written on it and wait for the first years to arrive)

- 9:00 - 9:45 am: met the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) executives and learned the Faculty of Science chant:

“We live it, we breathe it, we’re Science, yeah, believe it!”

- 9:20 - 9:45 am: Simon Peacock (Dean of Science) gave an inspiring speech about how to achieve success in academics. It was mainly about having the goal to figure out how we learn, to achieve learning efficiency and consequently, academic success

- 9:45 - 11:15 am: Meet professors. Students were split into 4 groups and we had a Computer Science professor and Biochemistry professor talk to each group about how to be successful in university

- 11:15 - 1:15 pm: Campus tour and lunch. Where to go on the campus tour was completely up to the orientation leaders - we just needed to show them the Science Student Information Centre and the Computer Science building.

1:15 - 2:00 pm: Travel/prepare for pep rally

2:00 - 3:00 pm: Pep rally. Might be the only time you get to see important people from all the faculties during your undergrad (unless you lead orientations like I did). Lots of inspirational speeches from the said important people, and chants as each faculty strive to show their UBC spirit

3:00-5:00 pm: Main event. First year students are free to go wherever they please at this point