Do what you Love to Do

Based on my title, you may think that what I'm about to tell you is something you already know. But I think there's a bit more to it than that.

Growing up, my social life was always based more on other people rather than on the activities that we did together. Step one was always to figure out who was around, and then to get a group together. Then we would decide what to do.

At UCSD, I've found that this isn't the way people think- in fact, it's often quite the opposite. People tend to think about what it is that they want to do, and then they go do it. The people they meet through their activity become their friends, and that's usually how social groups are formed.

So why am I telling you all this? Because I think that you should do what you love to do right from the beginning and you will most likely meet others that share your interests. It's easy to get along with people, but if you're looking for something more than just an acquaintance, then find that common ground. Some of my closest friends at UCSD I met simply by being an Orientation Leader.

Take a moment to think about your thing. It doesn't necessarily have to be something mainstream. My thing is cars. I love fixing them, and of course I love racing them too. I know, it's totally random, but it happens to be something that I love to do. So find your thing that you love and get out there and do it- don't let classes get in the way. And if it so happens that your thing is the same as my thing, hit me up!

'Notorious' Nick Kostka

Other Fun Things to Do in College Besides Studying and Class!

HEY!

So I realize that when most people come to college it is so that they can study hard in order to go to a good Med School, Grad School, Law School etc. Although studying and learning is a lot of fun, I'm going to blog about some other activities and options that you can add to your college experience. UCSD is gigantic--not only with the thousands of students but also the size. However, what I love most about UCSD is that it is filled with endless opportunities for you to find your niche whether it is active outdoor activities or more quiet relaxing indoor activities. There are so many student organizations so here a couple of the hundreds of things to do on campus besides studying in Geisel for the next two years :)

Take Advantage of Outback Adventures
First off, San Diego as a city is fairly close to many popular "tourist" spots. Besides the fact that it is possible to visit the LA area, Las Vegas, and Mexico by car, UCSD is close to the beach and popular camping spots. Outback Adventures is a program at UCSD that caters to the people that LOVE the outdoors and an active lifestyle. Outback Adventures has trips that you can sign up for from a relaxing kayaking trip under the moonlight at Mission Bay to Horseback Riding in Baja. Outback Adventures also opened a Surf Shop on the edge of Price Center this year where you can buy wetsuits, rent surfboards etc. Don't feel like leaving the UCSD campus but want a thrill? UCSD also has its own challenge course and rock climbing center close to Warren College :)

Recreation Classes
Ok, so what if you like to stay active in college but think that rock climbing or sea kayaking is a little too intense? Join a recreation class! Want to learn how to do a back flip or maybe try something new like fencing? What about learning to Go Go Dance so that you have some moves for Warren SemiFormal??? The recreation guide is 50 pages of different classes such as surfing, gymnastics, dancing, safety, and even games for fun such as billiards! And of course, there is always RIMAC which has gym equipment and courts.

Craft Center
So maybe you don't really like too much physical activity. There is a Craft Center located close to Muir's Main Gym where you can sign up for classes for Ceramics, Glass Blowing, Jewelry making etc. Sometimes they offer a day class that's about two hours on the weekend to show you how to make a crafty Valentine's gift etc.

Go Greek!
So this year I joined the Greek system. Not only does it provide you with a network of friends, but it is always filled with activities and things to do to get involved. Down below on the blog page there is a more detailed blog about the Greek System if you are interested :) But basically, once I joined the Greek System if I wasn't attending meeting, there was volunteering opportunities, social events, as well as study times throughout the week with my sisters. Furthermore, there are many many different Greek "groups." There is of course the Panhellenic and IFC which are known as the "social" Greek sororities and fraternities, however there is also the Multicultual Greek Council, Volunteering Sororities/Fraternities, and Academic Sororities/Fratenrities. So definately check out the different types if you're thinking of rushing!

Join a Club!
Welcome Week is the best way to get introduced to almost all the clubs on campus. There are breakdancing clubs, volunteering clubs, robotics clubs, surfers and snowboarders clubs, poetry clubs etc. Definately check out the fair during welcome week to get flyers and sign up for information. My recommendation is to bring a bag and just grab flyers and freebies from all of the booths that look interesting and then go through them later because it does get extremely crowded! There are also sports club, so if you want to play a sport competitively, but not to the extent of joining UCSD's sport team. Clubs are a great way to stay in shape, keep up your skills, as well as participate in competitive play.

Get a job!
Extra money in college is also great for those random shopping splurges. What better way than to apply for on campus jobs such as working at the UCSD bookstore, Geisel, or at Price Center? Most of the stores on campus have many student workers with flexible hours and since the jobs are on campus it is easy to go from class to work and then study at the library after work. If you check out Port Triton, it is where most UCSD students look for jobs, not only at UCSD but all over San Diego and beyond!

Take Advantage of that little circular sticker on your student ID called a BUS STICKER!
Driving a car is of course very convenient, but if you want a trip downtown or to the beach, parking is sometimes a pain. Luckily for UCSD students, we have a bus sticker which allows us to take some of the most popular routes to the mall, beach, or downtown FREE of charge! My freshman year, a group of my suitemates and I took the bus to La Jolla Shores and studied at the SIO library for our finals and then relaxed at the beach afterwards.

Attend UCSD events (even if it may not be put on by your college)
Each of the six colleges at UCSD puts on numerous events every year. For example, Sixth College hosts it Chocolate Festival where there are different booths with games and prizes that all involve chocolate. There is also gigantic fondue fountain to dip delicious treats in. Muir has Muirstock every year where bands come and play and there are tattoo artists and bag decorating etc. So even though you might be a Warren student, take advantage of all these activities as well because they're all free and a lot of fun! Of course, every college also has formals throughout the year as well :) However, if you do not make it out to the smaller events, the two biggest events that I recommend attending is Sungod and the Back to School Dance! These two events are probably the two biggest events of the year so definately check them out!

I could probably go on and on about more things to do at UCSD, but here's a start. My final advice would be think about what you would like to try or do while you're at UCSD. Once you figured that out, then explore all the different possibilities. If you have any questions feel free to contact me or any of the orientation leaders because I'm sue everyone has something that they're involved in and eager to share!

Sincerely,
Zaneta Cha
Group 10
Can't wait to see all of you at Orientation!!!! :)

Long Distance Sweethearts

When I left for college the thing I was most anxious about wasn't making new friends, living in the dorms, or the academic transition to college (though they were all close runner ups), I was scared witless about deciding to stay in a relationship with my high school boyfriend who is going to school 3000 miles and a different time zone away. If you're like I was, I feel for you, and I want to offer my truly humble and sincere advice. I'm not an expert, but I am a fellow yearner. Every couple is different, but there are pieces of advice that I believe would help anyone:

1) Keep in contact with methods that work
There are so many things you can do to keep in contact with your sweetheart... Skype, Facebook, blog, chat, talk on the phone, make countdowns, letters, care packages, and greetings cards are all good ways to keep in figurative touch. While technology offers a lot of ways to communicate, they might not all be right for you. For instance, many people think that Skype is a wonderful alternative to seeing your significant other, but I found it frustrating, awkward, and hollow. For me phone calls, with their warmth and portability, were a treat. Greeting cards were a giant delight and don't even get me started on the wonders of a well executed care package. Find the corner of communication that works for you, and do it in your own quirky way so that keeping in contact feels tailor made.

2) Make sweet unexpected gestures
Make plans, send little gifts, or write an unexpected letter. Sweet surprises are twice as great when they come from far away because they take more effort.

3) Balance. Don't forget about the rest of your life!
When my boyfriend comes to visit, the only way I can describe what happens next is that I lose my mind and want to throw away the rest of my life. I can't study, don't want to see my other friends, and basically ditch the rest of my life to spend the next few days with him. It can feel like you're entitled to spend all the time you have with them but it'll hurts the people around you. Balance, don't go overboard.

4) Enjoy the benefits of distance.
Space is nice. It's fun to discover the little ways the other person has grown in the few months or weeks they've been away. Long distance relationships have a lot of unique benefits.

Keep at it, and best of luck!

Happy Hearts!
Jennifer Hoang Group 13 ;)

The Power of Your Student ID Card!

So first off, I just wanted to say congratulations to everyone for getting to into UCSD! I hope that the years you spend here are as great as mine have been so far! There’s a lot of things to consider as you get ready to enter UCSD, and I figured I’d tell you about the powers of your ID card! I know you all realize that your ID card serves as your form of identification at UCSD, but there’s other things that your ID card does that you might not realize!

One of the most convenient things you can use your ID card for is Triton Cash. Basically, Triton Cash is like carrying around cash or a credit card without actually having to do so. Not only is it accepted at most places on campus including dining halls and the restaurants in Price Center it is also accepted off campus at places such as Chipotle, Croutons, Islands, and Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza. One of the bonuses to using Triton Cash is you get 10% off when you use it to pay for your purchase at any Housing and Dining location. I love Triton Cash, because even if you forget your wallet, you can still buy things you need. For more information about Triton Cash or to add Triton Cash to your ID card, you can go to tritoncash.ucsd.edu.

Secondly, for anyone of you that will be living on campus, your meal points are contained on your ID card. Whenever you go to a dining hall, you simply hand over your ID card and they’ll swipe it. The meal points will be deducted automatically. If you ever happen to lose your ID card (and believe me it will probably happen! I’ve probably lost my ID card about 4 times since I’ve ben here!) you can get a temporary ID card so you’ll still be able to use your dining points! It costs $15 to replace your ID card if you can’t find it.

Finally, when using your ID at the UCSD Bookstore or Sunshine Market, you can charge things to something called student account. What happens is rather than paying for whatever you’re buying at the time, you just put it on student account and it gets billed to your monthly UCSD bill so you can pay for your tuition, housing, and those purchases all at one time. Student account is especially useful when buying textbooks from the bookstore. My favorite guilty use of student account is charging coffee at Perks, the bookstore located in the bookstore or buying food from Sunshine Market when I don’t have money or Triton Cash!

-Sireesha Mudunuri, Group 8

Registration time is here, happiness and cheer!

by: Afshawn Chakamian, group 11

Hey everybody! It's almost registration time. I know you all have been through registration before, but every school does it differently and UCSD's way can seem confusing at first. But it doesn't have to be! Here is a handy little guide on how to navigate the Schedule of Classes and WebReg.

1. Once you get your course recommendations, go check out the Schedule of Classes (located on TritonLink). Make sure "Fall Quarter 2010" is selected under term. Finding classes by subject is the best way to go about it. Go through the scroll list to pick which department you want. On the right side, you can mark if you want to see lower division classes (Numbered 1-99) or upper division classes (100-199). If you only want classes on certain days, you can mark that off, but I wouldn't recommend that. It's best to keep all your options open. Once you pick the department, click "Search."

2. You'll be taken to a new page showing all classes that are offered in the fall.

Important things:

-Each blue line is a different class.

-LE means Lecture, this will generally be either 3x a week for 50 min, or 2x a week for an hour 20 min.

-Most classes will have listings underneath a class that say DI (discussion section) or maybe LA (lab).

-Discussion sections meet once a week and are lead by a TA and labs can meet two or three times a week. They offer different times, so you can pick whichever one you want. You'll actually enroll for a specific discussion section or lab that corresponds with that lecture.

On the very right, you'll see some numbers. The first column shows how many seats are currently available and the second column shows how many seats total are offered for that class. Each section will have about 20-30 spots open, giving you about 100-200, maybe even 300 students in your actual lecture. If that section is full, it'll say Full Waitlist (#). That number shows how many people are on the waitlist. Listed under discussion sections is FI which means final. That's the day your final will take place on. After FI, there should be another blue line, which means it's a different class.

Important: the 6 digit number to the left of LE/DI/LA is the section ID number. You'll need that number to actually enroll in the class. And to the very very far right, there's a little red book. If you click on that, it'll tell you what books you need for the class.

NOTE: for most biology classes, you actually just enroll in the lecture (that's the only section ID available) and you pick your discussion section once you're actually in class.

3. I recommend picking a few different discussion sections per lecture that could fit into your schedule. There is a nifty tool called Class Planner (also located on Tritonlink) that allows you to make a schedule and see it laid out on a planner. You can't actually enroll via Class Planner though.

4. Your counselor will give you class titles, like HIUS 131, BIMM 100, or CHEM 140A. If you want to find specifically these classes, you can. Go back to Schedule of Classes, and pick "by code(s)" Here you can enter multiple class titles in various departments and you'll get all those search results on the same page.

5. Once you have picked which classes you want to take and have all your section IDs written down, head on over to WebReg. Pick which term (Fall 10, Undergraduate) and click submit. You'll be taken to a new page.

-Under the "Add a Class" section, go to "Section ID" and type in the section ID for the class you want. Then click "Add A New Class." You'll be taken to a page that will give you the class detail, and here you can pick if you want to take the class for a letter grade or pass/no pass. (Note: You can take 25% of your classes pass/no pass and you usually cannot take major classes pass/no pass.) If everything looks good, click "Add." You'll be taken back to the main WebReg page, and now you'll have a class listed under "Enrolled Classes." Repeat as many times as you like!

Another note: Before the quarter actually starts, you can only register for 19.5 units (Most classes are 4 units). Once the quarter officially starts, you can register for more.

6. Also, in regards to waitlisting a class...if it's a large lecture hall class (like chem, bio, history, etc) of about 100-300 people, and you're 1-10 on the waitlist, you have a good chance of getting in. Definitely show up on the first day and the professor will generally make an announcement on how the waitlist generally moves for their class. But, if there is another section open at a not as desirable time, sign up for that instead of being waitlisted. It's important to get you enrolled in classes. If it's a small class, perhaps 15-20 people, and the waitlist is over 1 or 2, your chances of getting in is very low and then it's a judgment call on you. Sometimes even if you're first on the waitlist for a small class, you won't get in. It all depends on the class.

7. Once you're all registered, you can go to Classes/Waitlists (also on Tritonlink) and see your Weekly Planner, Final Planner, and even all your books for the quarter. Weekly Planner is a nice tool, you can add your work schedule and things like that too and print it out.

I hope that helps! It's not a difficult process, and once you do it a few times, it becomes second nature. You'll find even more shortcuts and tricks along the way, too.

Happy registering! Good luck!

Afshawn

My Favorites List

My Favorite Things @ UCSD

by Matthew Mayeda, transfer orientation leader for group 12

FAVORITE NAP PLACE: Treehouse Lounge- this building is located on the second level of the

old student center. Besides being a place to use a computer and print

out documents, it is one of the best places on campus to take a quick

nap. It's quiet (not too many people know about it) and has big chairs and couches for your napping pleasure. The other lounges (which can be found here http://universitycenters.ucsd.edu/relax-lounges.php ) are good alternatives when the Treehouse Lounge is too far.

FAVORITE FOOD DEAL: Hare Krishna- for only only $4.00 you can

get yourself a HUGE plate of healthy vegetarian Indian food. Some people may think this doesn't sound filling, but once i ate so much for lunch i was full until breakfast the next day. If you are feeling particularly financially savvy, you can bring a large Tupperware container and fill it up for only $7.00 and still get your plate of food. There are long lines for this deal because it only happens on Wednesdays. If you want to read more about it, here's a yelp article: http://www.yelp.com/biz/hare-krishna-san-diego

FAVORITE WAY TO STUDY: Board Work-

the UCSD Libraries will check out white

board markers and erasers free of charge. A good way to study independently or in groups is to make outlines of class material or do practice problems on the board. Being able to stand up

while studying is a nice change of pace and it is a good way to not waste trees or money on paper. If I can not find a whiteboard, occasionally I will find an empty classroom (chalk is provided for all classrooms) and study in there.

FAVORITE LIBRARY: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Library -

right next to the beach and not crowded, every UCSD student should study here at least once before they graduate. Getting to the library may be a little tricky, but the adventure is worth while. A shuttle conviniently leaves from Peterson ever 15 or 30 minutes depending on the time.

Directions:

http://libraries.ucsd.edu/locations/sio/directions-to-scripps-library.html

Shuttle Schedule:

http://blink.ucsd.edu/facilities/transportation/shuttles/SIO.html

FAVORITE ACADEMIC HELP: Oasis-

located on the top floor of center hall, this free tutoring service moved my math grade from a C to an A. I have taken a total of 9 Oasis work shops, so I

can honestly say that their workshops really do help. They treat their tutors very well, so you get to learn from the brightest and best UCSD students. Quarter after quarter, I was continually impressed by my tutors that had nearly flawless GPA's, many extracurriculars, and could make even the hardest material make sense. Sign up quickly, as soon as school starts because spots for the workshops fill fast.

FAVORITE MAP OF UCSD: http://campusmap.michaelkelly.org/map.cgi

tells you pretty much the fastest way to get to places with a highlighted line.

FAVORITE UCSD WEBSITE: http://universitycenters.ucsd.edu/

Let's you know what time price center, the book store, and food places open and close. It also tells you what movies are playing in the price center theater and, when and where various events are happening on campus.

Hope you found this list useful and that you're having a great summer.

-Matt

art!Power--The Secret Side of UCSD

Everyone knows UCSD--the high tech bio sciences, the military contracts, the acclaimed medical school, the groundbreaking research. But did you know that UCSD's department of Theatre and Dance is ranked 3rd in the nation? Or that a UCSD Visual Arts graduate student created a virtual reality room that linked her into Second Life and controlled her character using her actual body motions? Or that there is a dedicated space in the center of campus (called the Loft that functions as an art gallery and performance space for acts from cutting edge music to improv groups like the Upright Citizens brigade to indie film screenings and art discussions?

I certainly didn't when I applied to UCSD, and I came in as a Media major!

The arts are quite vivid and alive at our high tech science school. In fact, many projects created at UCSD employ the new techniques developed in our more well known departments to further push the boundaries of what one can do with an artistic mind. And once a year, during the Admit day festivities in May, the graduate students in our MFA program throw open the doors to their studios and allow the public to step into the middle of their work. This, the Open Studios presentation, is one of many opportunities you, as a UCSD student, will have to look into something that may be completely outside of your norm. The best part is, most of it is free or discounted for you. Along with the graduate work on campus, we are surrounded with student and professional art. Different rooms in Price Center East and West display student art year round (I actually had a gallery one quarter! Think of this opportunity for artists!), ranging from photography and paintings to digital projection work to 3d sculptural installations. The University Art Gallery located in Mandeville Hall in Muir College features shows from currently practicing artists year round and is free to visit for all UCSD students. Some of the best new artists in their fields visit UCSD to show their work here and often stay around to give talks about their work or their process.

If you're more interested in the performance side of the arts, have no fear. UCSD is outfitted with multiple performance spaces, including the more traditional, like Mandeville Auditorium (which we will probably be visiting during orientation!) and the Theodore and Adele Shank theatre, as well as the contemporary, like the Loft and Price Center courtyard. Furthermore, the theatre and dance department partners with the La Jolla Playhouse (located in Revelle!), which has premiered and featured some of the finest off-broadway shows of the last 60 years. Sticking to the advancement of student careers and projects, the theatre and dance department produces and puts on a show case of choreography and projects at least once a quarter, in which the graduate students and best of the undergraduates create, direct, and perform their works on full-fledged stage for the public. All of these theatre and dance opportunities are available to us at UCSD students for a highly discounted student price, which is awesome.

Last but certainly not least, I want to introduce you to UCSD's artpwr program. The ArtPower! group "engages diverse audiences through vibrant, challenging, multi-disciplinary performances by emerging and renowned international artists. Through extensive partnerships, ArtPower! provides exciting opportunities for research, participation, and creation of new work, igniting powerful dialogue between artists, students, scholars and the community. " Essentially, they bring high powered artists in the fields of music, dance, theatre, writing, film, and visual art to UCSD to perform and interact with students and the public through UCSD. Some of their upcoming shows include Steve Martin (yes, the actor and musician!), the Wonderland international contemporary dance festival, a student film festival, and multiple beautiful string quartets. If you're in mind to broaden your cultural horizons, you couldn't do much better than to pay close attention to the artpwr website, and keep up with their 2010-2011 season brochure.

With that, I leave you to your summer, be it full of the arts or expressly avoiding them. Just remember, regardless of what you plan to major in or surround yourself with in our fantastic San Diego school, the arts bring innovation and creative thinking. Engage and expand!

Love! Emma, Transfer Orientation Leader for GROUP Se7en!

The Quarter System

Hello everyone =]

As many of you should have found out by now, UCSD runs of the quarter system and not on semesters like most other colleges and universities. The quarter system is very unique and is similar to the semester system but it goes by quicker. An academic year is broken up into 3 quarters: Fall, Winter, and Spring. Each quarter is a total of 10 weeks with an additional week for finals. Between the quarters you get a break. First comes winter break after Fall Quarter which is a total of 3 weeks. Then there is spring break after Winter Quarter but that is only a week long. After Spring Quarter there is summer break which is 3 months! However, some of you might decide to do summer school so your break will be shorter.

The quarter system affects how classes work at UCSD as well. Most classes are just one quarter but there are others that are divided into three quarters as part of a sequence. However, this doesn't mean you have to take the three classes in the same year. You can take the first class in the sequence during winter or spring quarter and not necessarily fall. Check with the department that is offering the class and you can see when it will be offered and plan out your next quarter/year.

Since each quarter is only 10 weeks, you definitely don't want to fall behind. Depending on the class, you will have one, two, or maybe even three midterms. Perhaps you won't have any midterms but will instead have papers or other assignments due throughout the quarter. Either way, you should keep up with your schoolwork since the quarter seems to go by pretty fast and by the time you decide to catch up it could be too late.

I'm sure grades are something very important to all of us. At UCSD you can take classes with the pass/no pass grading option instead of receiving a letter grade. This is helpful for classes you want to take but don't really want to put a lot of effort into. Unfortunately, all of the classes for your major must be taken for a letter grade. Also, if a class seems too hard or you just don't think you want to take it anymore, you have the option of dropping it. It can either be before the end of second week, fourth week, or ninth week. If you do it before second week, you can still add another class. However, after fourth week and ninth week you can only drop it. Dropping a class before fourth week is better since it won't show up on your transcript that you dropped it. If you drop a class after fourth week then it will show a "W" (withdrawal) on your transcript meaning the next time you take the class you can't drop it. Just keep in mind that ninth week is the absolute last time that you can drop a class.

Some important deadlines to keep in mind for each quarter are the following:
- Week 2: Deadline to add/enroll in classes
- Week 4: Deadline to change grading option or drop without a "W"
- Week 9: Deadline to drop without the penalty of an F grade

I hope this helps and I wish you all a great first quarter/year at UCSD!

- Jesus Romero
Warren College Transfer Orientation Leader (Group #16)

Greek Life at UCSD

The classic debate in almost every college students head pro-Greek or anti-Greek? While there are a million stereotypes and endless reasons that people have for not joining the Greek system, I'm going to shed a little light on why it's a good idea and something that will help you to get the most of your experience here at UCSD.

Before I start trying to sell you on going Greek, I guess I should tell you a little bit about myself. I came to UCSD as a Freshman scared of sorority girls and not wanting to "pay for friends." I got involved with a Christian club on campus and made some of my best friends through an all girls freshman bible study, and I started working at a coffee shop in Warren (Earl's Place). I made a lot of really great friends through both of these worlds but as I was about to enter into my sophomore year, I found myself very curious about Greek life. When school started I decided to go through recruitment with an open mind and wanting to learn a little bit more about the whole system. For ladies formal recruitment is quite the process, it is a week long of "parties" where you basically go into different rooms for the different sororities, see each one and rank your top choices at the end of each day. For gentlemen rushing fraternities, the process is a lot less structured and you can basically choose which fraternities you want to learn more about by going out to their rush events and getting to know the guys.

Since I am a lady, I went through formal recruitment and thought that I would just drop out midway through because I still didn't see myself as a "sorority girl." I ended up continuing to get called back each night and having to choose my top house on the last night, and its been a decision I haven't regretted for one moment.

Being Greek is a lot more than the parties, the money, and the social status that everyone automatically associates it with. First off, I have never felt like I've paid for my friends. Paying your dues is basically the only way for an organization like a fraternity or sorority to function, since they are non-profit organizations. Basically you pay for everything you'll be getting and doing up front. For instance sorority formals, cost thousands of dollars to reserve venues, transportation and catering. In order to have that money to plan such an event the organization needs to have that money in advance. So now that you know you wont actually be paying for friends here's what you are getting when you join the Greek system:

- An automatic support system. When you come to college or any new place where you don't know many people it is nice to have a group of people you know you can count on. Whether that be for a study buddy, someone to explore campus with, or someone to go out with on the weekends. Your sorority sisters and fraternity brothers will always be that for you.

- Alumni networking. Fraternities and sororities have been around for so many years that there are large alumni groups for each organization in San Diego. Being a part of a Greek Chapter gives you a group of people who have graduated and are working in their career fields whom you can ask advice, or seek help in finding internships or jobs.

- A smaller world. UCSD is a huge university, the 6 college system helps to make it feel a bit smaller, but the Greek system can make it feel like a home. At such a large university it is nice to see familiar faces as you walk to class, or know that if you stop by Price Center during lunch you are sure to run into a friend that wants to get lunch at that same time.

- Endless leadership experience. Fraternities and sororities are completely student run organizations, some chapters are over 100 members in size which makes being a part of leadership that much more rewarding and valuable. There are positions that organize events, philanthropies, keep track of chapter finances, assist with academic excellence, educate the chapter on the fraternities history, correspondence with alumni, and the list goes on and on.

These things are only the main points and the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the positive things the Greek system has to offer. I'm not trying to get you all to join because it isn't for everyone, but I am asking you to give it a try if any of these things have sounded interesting at all. I am the perfect example of someone who never thought she would be a "sorority girl" and now I'm the current President of my chapter, Kappa Kappa Gamma. Looking back on my four years at UCSD and the things I've learned, most of my practical knowledge and leadership skills have come from being a part of a sorority. I couldn't imagine what college would have been without this experience, and I am excited to continue to be involved with my sorority as an alum for the rest of my life.

For more information about going Greek here are the Panhellenic Association and Interfraternity Council websites:

Ladies: http://panhellenicucsd.org/home

Gentlemen: http://www.ifcucsd.org/index.php

I hope this has been helpful to anyone that was curious, and sparked interest in some of you that hadn't thought about it before. I could probably go for days, but I wont for obvious reasons. Feel free to message me on Facebook if you have any questions and I'd be happy to talk with you on an individual basis and direct you to others than can answer any questions I can't. I'll be seeing you all soon in the Fall, but have a great summer until then :)

Stacey Hunsucker
Transfer OL