I had always lived close to Stevens, yet never once visited the campus until Admitted Student Weekend, and then came back for the second time for freshman orientation. I still remember the buzzing excitement for all the memories I would be making and the nervousness to immediately immerse myself in Stevens’ culture. The lingo and community were so different from high school that I would often tell my friend Stevens had a language of its own: Stubers, UCC, P-cards. It was truly freshman orientation that gave me the full immersive experience that set me up to become a true Duck at Stevens.
The highlight was being set up with a Peer Leader group and a Peer Leader who mentors and guides new students to become accustomed to Stevens and gives the best advice. Your Peer Leader group, with new students, might end up forming your first friend groups — I know it did for me. Exploring Hoboken with fellow students, all excited to meet everyone, was a whole different experience than exploring with family. We grew accustomed to the restaurants that true Stevens students loved, the piers, parks, and buildings within campus itself. Late nights looking at random people’s decorations in their new dorms, playing guitars, card games, or hanging out after the day of Stevens events.
My Peer Leader introduced me to the inner workings of The Stute, where I now serve as the Features Editor, a full-circle moment. Although I didn’t pursue becoming a Peer Leader like I wanted to, I learned about the work that goes into becoming one and the close-knit community the Peer Leaders have with each other, which helped me learn about new opportunities within Stevens. When speaking to Peer Leader Yang Yi Zheng about freshman orientation, he noted that, “The Stevens Peer Leader Team is comprised of many different campus perspectives. The Team features athletes, co-op students, international students, leaders in Greek life and student orgs, and more. Precisely because of these multi-faceted experiences, the Peer Leader (PL) team is able to serve the diverse Stevens student body to the fullest. The goal is for new Stevens students to find a sense of belonging through the PL and PRV program, and ultimately transition better into college life.”
It can be overwhelming when you first join Stevens and are told to download 50 apps, but during orientation, it happens organically. We would have lunch and suddenly remember to download RockBot to change the music in Pierce Dining Hall. Or we’d be looking for an event to go to and suddenly remember to download DuckLink and help everyone else download it too. Maybe you wanted a ride to CVS after Peer Leader Week, so you downloaded the Stevens Shuttle app to get one. Your Peer Leaders also remind you which ones to download, recommend which food stations are the best in Pierce, and tell you which events are a must during orientation, since there is always something happening.
There are numerous activities to look forward to as well, like the Glow Park event, which is like a silent disco with glow-up headphones that gleam in the dark. There is a different song playing in your headphones, and through this event, I found people who enjoy partying as much as I do. To this day, I happen to go to social events at Stevens with the same people. There are multiple opportunities to socialize with Stevens students, such as the street fair, where Stevens brings in a bunch of food trucks, and you might bond over a shared love of food. You get introduced to new traditions you will soon partake in, like ordering many Yellas burgers or milkshakes, slapping the ass of the horse on the Torch Bearer statue to pass your class, and getting to know the history behind Stevens buildings.
Your first week is pivotal in understanding the culture and community of Stevens, filled with school spirit activities like learning the Duck Dance or discovering your new favorite study spots with friends. Orientation was the perfect introduction, helping you find your place as a Duck while surrounded by support and peers.
