The 2010 Freshmen Orientation was held from Feb. 18 to 25. All of the freshmen who were granted admission and are to begin their semester this upcoming March were required to attend the orientation. The orientation itself was comprised of several parts. Some were academic such as English proficiency test to evaluate to freshmen’s English levels, the MBTI test to help the freshmen to get to know better about their personality, and several lectures to help the new students to adopt to new environment quickly and without any trial and error. There were also extracurricular activities to help the freshmen to get to know and bond with each other, such as volunteer work at nursing homes and children’s centers, introduction of school’s extracurricular clubs and cheering practice for the upcoming POSTECH-KAIST Science War. This year’s orientation was successful compared to last year’s which had some unfortunate incidences. The programs were well organized. However, there was some technical trouble concerning the cheering practice.

What is the purpose of Orientation?

Every year the Freshmen Orientation was held and this year the orientation was held under the motto of Fly High. This motto was decided to help freshmen students to have ambitious dreams and to have broad views that match their dreams. There were lectures aimed to help the freshmen students to have an understanding of what life will be like in the university and their life after school.

What kind of effects will the freshmen have through Orientation?

The university is a whole new environment from what the new students have been experienced. Freshmen Orientation is opportunity to get to know what it will be like when they attend the school and go through the actual semester. It is an excellent chance to prepare for what is coming up ahead. Also, the orientation is a good chance to get to know the classmates that they will be with for several years and their seniors who will be excellent sub-supervisors during their school life.

What is the highlight of the Orientation?

This year’s orientation had distinct characteristics. The programs were carefully organized and the organizers wore animal costumes to distinguish themselves from others. The performances of each club were fascinating to watch and showed what one could achieve in university apart from academic achievement. “Apart from tight schedules, the orientation itself was fun and exciting,” said Bu Hye Eun, one of the freshmen who participated in the orientation. “I think it was a good opportunity to get to know new people. It will be an event that will last long in my memory.”

What is volunteer work?

As a part of Freshmen Orientation, all freshmen students, their supervisors and some voluntary students of senior year went on a volunteer work in nursing homes and children’s centers which took place on Feb. 24 to 25. All of the freshmen students attended this event. Participating in volunteer work has become a tradition in Freshmen Orientation.

The program’s purpose is to allow students to find themselves amidst volunteer work. Everybody has a different feeling and objective during the volunteer work. As freshmen of POSTECH and potential leaders of Korea, the freshmen should not have conceit and should look around and take actions that could change so much around them.

“I always had some fear toward the disabled and sometimes a feeling of repulsion towards them. But though this experience I learned that they are almost the same as us. It was a good opportunity to learn that we should respect others as human beings,” said David Jeong, a freshmen students who participated in the volunteer work.