By Rachel Houng
An unfamiliar face hops off the E train exactly a week before classes commence. Like hundreds of other freshmen, this student had just graduated from high school with an impressive resume, essays that embodied individuality, and admirable grades that earned them an acceptance into the Macaulay Honors program. As this mysterious individual ascends the marble stairs of John Jay College, it becomes clear they will soon become a full-fledged Mountain Lion.
Incoming freshmen officially embark on their journey to join the Macaulay community at the Class of 2028 Orientation at John Jay College from Aug. 21 – Aug. 22. The first day, also known as “Crew Day,” consists of team-building activities, while the second day, known as Community Resource Day, focuses on student life and resources available to incoming freshmen.
Peer mentors hoped to kindle excitement even before freshmen stepped foot on the John Jay campus through an in-person Q&A Panel at the Macaulay building on July 24. The event featured conversations about student life, transitioning from high school to college, and the panelists’ experience as student leaders. Olivia Fratangelo (John Jay ‘25) moderated the panel, which consisted of current peer mentors Raheem Sheikh (Hunter ‘25), Zahara Little Dawes (Hunter ‘25), Jake Xie (Brooklyn ‘25), Julia Aiello (Baruch ‘25), and Isaiah Caines (Hunter ‘27).
Rising freshman Athena Eyzaguirre said that the panel “added a less formal and rigid, but personable and relatable take,” adding that she appreciated the panel’s makeup of current students.
Rising freshman Sienna Saballegue also mentioned how she was “impressed with how the peer mentors seemed to genuinely enjoy being a part of both their home campus and the larger Macaulay community.
Following the event, anticipation mounted as orientation rapidly approached. Orientation marks the very first co-curricular experience that incoming freshmen will experience. On Crew day, students met their Macaulay Crew, a student’s very “own mini-intercampus community different from [their] campus cohort.” Students were assigned to a crew of 15-18 people with their Peer Mentor. Throughout Crew Day, freshmen had the opportunity to work with their crew to participate in activities dedicated to community, skill, and class bonding.
The Class of 2028 favored different parts of Crew Day, but enjoyed the variety of activities; A pair of City College and Baruch students interviewed out on John Jay Walk, where students were playing team games such as tug-of-war and minefield, stated that they liked the fact they were doing activities instead of “just sitting around,” adding that “it feels like there’s an aspect of team building.”
The incoming class already seemed to be feeling part of a larger CUNY/Macaulay community; a Queens College student stated that the “community building aspect [of the day] is nice” because often at CUNYs, as commuter schools, it feels like “people just come and leave” so having the opportunity to talk to people from different campuses “adds a lot.”
However, students had differing opinions on crews. Some stated they enjoyed the opportunity to mingle with students from other campuses who they wouldn’t have the chance to meet otherwise. Others thought while the crews were “cool,” they questioned the purpose of the groups, since they wouldn’t be meeting the same people again and that maybe it would be more useful to have an event with people on their home campus.
Regardless of thoughts on crew organization, all of the incoming students interviewed mentioned that people were very nice, friendly, and welcoming. A Baruch student stated that socializing with others felt easy, and that even though the student body was diverse and full of different people, it seemed that “everyone has something that they’re interested in that they can share with people.” Although multiple people mentioned that they were nervous heading into the day and it was intimidating at first, crews warmed up to each other after initial icebreakers.
Freshmen were excited for the upcoming school year, with some already thinking ahead to classes they were looking forward to taking and even farther ahead to securing internships and studying abroad
As soon as students nestled into the comfort of their homes after Crew Day, they were faced with the reality that Community Resource Day would take place in just mere hours.
On the second day of orientation, freshmen students will meet staff, campus advisors, representatives from Scholars Council, clubs, and representatives from community service partner organizations.
On the second day of orientation, freshmen students will meet staff, campus advisors, representatives from Scholars Council, clubs, and representatives from community service partner organizations. The freshman class definitely received a warm welcome into the mountain lion community.
