With school starting soon, Golden Bear Orientation is right around the corner. This is a special time for new Golden Bears, with a large number of events to introduce them to UC Berkeley! We’ve all experienced this chaotic, wondrous time — so whether you’re an incoming student or a seasoned senior, here’s a fun quiz to teleport you to GBO! Which orientation leader do you get, based on your major? The options vary, so let’s hope you get lucky!
Psychology – the bickering couple
You’re a psychology major stuck with the bickering GBO couple. In between your trip to the city and your graduation class’s banner signing, these two fight — the ones who thought corralling first-years would be a relationship-bonding experience and ended up involving everyone else in the drama. You’re here to analyze what exactly went wrong with this relationship. Good luck!
Business – the networker
This GBO leader networks with just about anyone, including the people they’re leading in orientation. Stop for a chat as you share LinkedIn profiles or discuss upcoming consulting club applications. As a business major, this is your opportunity to take notes as this leader stops in the street to say hello to that one club colleague or ask for a coworker’s socials.
English – the enthusiast
Congratulations! You got the GBO leader who’s interested in teaching and thought to try it on a bunch of first-years for the first time ever! Their energy and love for team-bonding persists as you stroll along Telegraph, checking out their favorite bookstores like Pegasus Books or Moe’s Books. You even stop for a delicious ube matcha at Binge Coffee House, talking about different writing and publishing clubs to join. You enjoy yourself, even if you need to withstand a few cringy icebreakers here and there.
Art – the creative
Your group has objectively the best sign with the most creative art, showcasing your group’s number for all to see. Your GBO leader goes viral on TikTok and Yik Yak. You get a slight cameo in a video — impressive! And instead of the usual orientation activities, your leader takes you and your groupmates to a niche cafe in the middle of nowhere — enjoy!
Engineering – the absentee
Uh, where are your GBO leaders? You look around to find them, and eventually they show up, after having left you and your group to fend for yourselves in the middle of Downtown Berkeley. Perhaps it’s time to get your inner explorer going and use your navigation skills, touching grass along the way. Enjoy quality you-time as you attempt to navigate back to campus for the orientation’s late-night drag show, all while your GBO leaders nap away!
Biology and chemistry – the tutors
These GBO leaders have found the opportunity to market themselves as tutors to your whole group. Maybe you’ll get tips on how to make a quick side hustle yourself! Chat with them for long hours on the Glade about the nuances of tutoring and how to teach advanced science — maybe you’ll be instructing high-level math at the Student Learning Center in no time.
Environmental sciences – the pigeon feeder
In between getting a taco at a food truck and attending a campus tour, your GBO leader stops by bustling streets to scatter bread crumbs for the pigeons. Like many locals who do the same, this leader has truly bonded with the Berkeley pigeon family. During your group’s excursion in the Bay, you and your leader continue to spread joy to the different birds of San Francisco and Oakland!
Economics – the frat guy
It’s time to party! Your GBO leader is a classic fraternity guy. He’s leading the group to lunch with a pep in his step, and he busts out the dance moves during silent disco. He invites you to some of the biggest parties happening during orientation week, a fun, yet chaotic, opportunity to meet people. It’s time to start socializing!
Philosophy – the philosopher
Not to surprise you, but you get, well, the philosopher! This GBO leader, a modern-day Socrates, sits with you at dinner discussing the nuances of life as your hand intellectually rests on your chin. You both start to have an existential crisis about the meaning of life and of orientation — then time passes and you’re off, flying to another GBO event with philosophical musings still in the back of your mind.
Computer science – Oski
You’re wondering why you’re at Berkeley’s orientation instead of coding inside, and then Oski shows up, your leader who parades you around to different events like karaoke night at Jaguar Karaoke or a Bear Pact theater performance. With all of Oski’s dance moves and the whole not-speaking thing, this is kind of a shock to you, but have no fear! Oski is here to introduce you to the wonder that is UC Berkeley! Regretfully, you wake up, disappointed that your GBO leader is just a normal human and not the iconic Oski himself.
After teleporting to GBO, you find yourself returning to the present. But as your thoughts swirl with the diverse activities you experienced, from exploring the Fire Trails to attending a carnival on the Glade, you feel reluctant to leave. Whichever leader you got made a lasting impression, fostering memories about UC Berkeley for a lifetime. Hold those close.
See you soon!