UC San Diego held its annual Triton Day last Saturday for newly admitted students to preview the campus along with their prospective colleges.
The day consisted of various events ranging from campus tours, college overview sessions and booths, allowing students to submit their Statements of Intent to Register.
The atmosphere of UCSD for some new students is a complete switch from their normal routines, as is the case of incoming Eleanor Roosevelt College freshmen Lorena Gonzalez, who stayed on campus for two nights before Triton Day with a current ERC student.
“The 180-degree turn from my life in the Bay Area holds me back,” Gonzalez told the UCSD Guardian. “It is not easy to go from a graduating class of 123 and the physical support of parents 24/7 to a class of thousands and parents hundreds of miles away.”
To help with the transition from high school to college, the college overview sessions went over the First Year Experience program, a one-quarter class offered in the fall throughout the six colleges with the intent of making students aware of campus resources so that they can utilize them throughout their co
In addition to new students’ concerns, parents as well have questions regarding what campus life will be like for their children.
“As a parent, of course there will be worries,” Gonzalez’s father said. “We worry whether she will eat or sleep enough, whether she will overload herself with too much work. We worry that if something goes wrong we will not be able to get to her in time to help her.”
To help settle concerns, parents will be offered the opportunity to attend orientations specifically for them during the time that their child will be attending their own. Family orientations will focus on topics ranging from financial aid to how to deal with the transitional period.
Despite worries, Lorena’s father expressed pride in his daughter’s accomplishments, being that she is a first generation student. However, he expresses as well the pain he’ll feel in sending Lorena off to college.
“It is a very happy moment for the family,” Mr. Gonzalez stated. She is the first to go to college, and we see it as all of our hard work finally paying off. However, there is still the pain of seeing our first child and only daughter leaving our home.”
Transfer Triton Day will be held on May 6 and will consist of events similar to this past weekend’s Triton Day.
