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Campus Life OC Blog Posts
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https://approaching.stanford.edu/campus-life-oc-blog-posts
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Campus Life OC Blog Posts

Source: https://approaching.stanford.edu/campus-life-oc-blog-posts Parent: https://approaching.stanford.edu/campus-life-blog-posts

Transitioning to Stanford: An Overview

by Your OCs

Dear Class of 2029 and Transfers,

Congratulations and welcome to Stanford! We’re so happy that you’ll be joining us on the Farm this fall! By “we” I’m referring to the team of OCs (Orientation Coordinators) who will welcome you to campus.

If you’re anything like me (your blog OC, Canon), you probably have lots of questions about coming to Stanford and ideas about what life might look like once you arrive. Today, we’re here to give you a better idea of what Stanford life is like and some advice that we’ve garnered through our own experiences.

But before we dive into that, let’s take a step back and think about where you are in your Stanford journey right now: you’ve been getting lots of emails, submitting forms, and likely imagining who your roommate(s) might be, where you’ll eat, and what your room will look like. You still have a couple of months to go before you officially start, but we want to ensure that you've the opportunity to ask questions and feel prepared when fall arrives, and it’s your time to shine!

The Class of 2027 at 2023 Convocation

An important thing to know about arriving at Stanford is that there is no one perfect representation of a “Stanford student.” Everybody’s transition to and time at the Farm looks different, and you will each find your communities and spaces where you'll thrive here. You each come from such diverse interests and skillsets, and we are confident that you will find your way to blossom. To give you a better sense of just how true this is, let’s take a look at each of your OCs’ transitions to Stanford and what you can learn from each of their stories:

OC Bryan's Transition:

To begin, Bryan reflects on how the pre-orientation experiences he had before NSO transformed his Stanford transition and helped him build a community on campus. “I first transitioned to Stanford through LSP, the Leland Scholars Program, and started to learn more about Stanford. (The same community-building and academic discovery experiences are now offered through the new Summer Bridge Program). He says, “I also had a different transition to Stanford because I was accepted through QuestBridge, so I already had a group chat with Stanford peers in December.”

He reflects on how this made him feel more comfortable coming into NSO, “I felt like I already had people I knew, so I wouldn’t go into Stanford blind. For most NSO events, I already had an established friend group that I went around with…most of my friends were Latine, and we went to all of the Latine events.” But even beyond that, there was one NSO experience that stayed with Bryan throughout his first two years and excites him as an OC now: “The most impactful thing for me in NSO was the Faces of Community program…I wasn’t expecting to hear students sharing their experiences, I remember I had them written in my notes app on my phone. I can’t think of NSO without Faces.”

To incoming students, Bryan encourages everyone to embrace their interests and explore their individuality as they go through the transition and are exposed to life on campus. He concludes, “There’s so many things to do here at Stanford…if you want to go to an event, but no one else wants to go, still go and have fun.”

OC Sophia's Transition:

Coming from Switzerland, Sophia notes that her transition to the United States and Stanford was largely built around the connections she made once she arrived on campus for NSO. “I came in a little bit blind.” she recalls. “I was a little concerned because I didn’t have any smaller-knit community that I was a part of.” As a result, she says that her NSO experience was, “reaching out to new people and finding friends who would want to go to an event…. My transition involved many one-to-one personal experiences with people.”

Sophia also adds, “There was nothing I could do [during the summer] about who my roommate was or what NSO would be like.” As difficult as it might be, it’s important to remember that a lot of the transition to Stanford will happen when you arrive! Some aspects of your experience will be ones that surprise you and push you out of your comfort zone, but this is also what makes it so unique and what will allow you to grow during your time at the Farm.

Sophia notes that as an international student, part of navigating the transition is finding comfortable spots or notes of home on campus. She says, “It was a little weird at first, especially with Stanford’s palm trees and architecture. It looked so different from home. I remember hearing the Clock Tower - you hear bells in Europe all the time - and thinking ‘I really like that!’”

OC Malik's Transition:

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, as a participant in the former pre-orientation program SSEA, Stanford Science & Engineering Academy, Malik began to build community before he started the school year. (The same community building and academic discovery experiences are now offered in the new Summer Bridge Program). He notes that coming to Stanford’s campus for the first time made the experience go from surreal to real. He says that, “My Admit Weekend gave me a different view on coming to Stanford…there was a honeymoon period after I got in, but during Admit Weekend, I realized that I wanted to integrate myself into the community.”

Staying true to his mission, Malik went on to participate in SSEA. With this program, he says, “I got a taste of a real Stanford education in the summer…that was kind of a big deal…SSEA made me a little more comfortable with my transition.” But after this, Malik also realized that he wanted to explore a pre-orientation experience: he recalls, “I looked into SPOT (Stanford Pre-Orientation Trips) and had questions…I asked ‘Is there going to be a spot for me to do my skin care and charge my phone and things, and the leader of the program said ‘Absolutely not!’, so I decided it wasn’t for me, haha.” Different pre-orientation experiences are appealing to different students, so explore what you’re interested in!

Going into NSO, Malik was persistent in exploring Stanford and getting to know the class of 2028, “I loved my NSO…I went to every community’s welcome…I guess that’s why my friend group right now is so diverse. You guys should go to any event because there is always something new …and you can meet people!” But a key point in shaping your experience, he notes, is keeping in mind that there really is a place for you here. “Comparison is the thief of joy. Focus on why YOU are coming to Stanford, what YOU want to do.”

OC Jack's Transition:

As an REA admit from Georgia in the US, Jack reflects on how his transition to Stanford can be seen in two parts: a period of waiting before coming to campus and then the transition in the first few weeks of school. “I graduated from high school on May 13, 2023, and then after that was 4 months of summer before coming to Stanford,” he recalls. He describes NSO as "a series of quick snapshots of all I could do and what my time could be like at Stanford. I explored the options and found the ones most intriguing and after NSO got involved. In the first few weeks of school, I was getting out there and actively getting involved in these communities and doing things."

But even after completing his second year, Jack acknowledges that the transitioning period doesn’t stop after the first few weeks of school or even the first quarter. “After my first year and even now, I’m in a period of moving and figuring out what my life is here, and even what it might be after Stanford,” he says.

He also echoes Sophia’s message about the inevitable uncertainty of transitioning to Stanford, noting that, “There are going to be so many people who make your Stanford experience the best. It’s important to do things for yourself and throw yourself out there, but just know that everybody else is also going through this period of transition at the same time. You don’t know what life on campus is going to be like until you get to campus. What we as the coordinators want for each student is for Stanford to be your home and for you to find community here.”

OC Malaika’s Transition:

Coming from Los Angeles, California, Malaika notes the importance of getting to know one’s physical environment and surroundings when in a new place. She reflects on her first moments on campus and remembers, “the biggest thing I had trouble with was being in such a new environment. At times I felt very isolated, but what helped me transition was finding my people and my community.”

Similar to some of your other OCs, Maliaka’s pre-orientation experience was instrumental in helping her find her bearings in this new setting. “I also did LSP, (the same community-building and academic discovery experiences are now offered through the new Summer Bridge Program), which was helpful in that I got to know the campus before moving and got to know people beforehand,” she recalls. Throughout this time and frosh year, she aimed to explore the Bay Area and create a balance for herself as she navigated academics and life away from home. She says, “finding fun things to do outside of campus really helped me feel situated on campus and in the area. I explored downtown Palo Alto, especially the eateries. I also took the Caltrain to San Francisco over the weekends and did fun activities like ice skating with my friends.”

What can also help ease your transition to Stanford is having fun preparing to move to campus over the summer! Malaika urges you all to take advantage of summer sales!

My (OC Canon’s) Transition:

I may not have come from as far and wide as some of your other OCs (I’m from Los Angeles County), but Stanford was still the furthest I’d ever been away from home. Over the summer, I remember feeling very excited but also nervous about wrapping everything up that I’d come to know. I prioritized spending time with my family and friends, all the way up to the last day when I was packing photos of my loved ones and my stuffed animals from home.

I also participated in a service-oriented pre-orientation program through the Haas Center for Public Service called Ignite, which was a transformative experience that took place in the few days leading up to NSO. My family remained with me in the Bay Area for a couple of days before saying goodbye, and both of these aspects of my transition helped to ease my nerves about coming to Stanford. It was fun to see my dorm (Cedro) fill up as others moved in - I was the first frosh to move into Cedro my year, so seeing a full dorm helped to make the experience feel real. During NSO, I went to as many events as possible and tried to meet many new people in my dorm while also maintaining a connection with my Ignite group.

But the transition continued throughout the year - I remember meeting so many people but ultimately gravitating toward the smaller group that would become my closest friends. I also took Frosh 101 (a course that you’ll hear more about in the next couple of months) in my dorm my frosh fall and was able to form connections with my dormmates while also exploring where I fit at Stanford. By my frosh spring, I also realized how fast the prior two quarters had gone by and that while I had grown, I had much more learning and exploring to do.

Wrapping Up & Concluding Thoughts:

A group of orientation volunteers welcoming students to campus

With all of this said, we want to encourage you all to enjoy your summer because you truly can’t be sure of what your transition will look like until you arrive on campus. Take advantage of the opportunities you have to learn about campus life, but also make sure to take time for yourself and your family and not feel pressured to know or do everything right away. You’ll learn so many things about yourself and about life during your time on the Farm, and your transition is just the start of that journey.

We hope that this helps you take a step back and realize that transitions take time and vary from person to person: if you’d like to ask questions about transitioning to Stanford, we have our first OC Coffee Chat THIS FRIDAY, July 11th at 10 AM PDT via Zoom! (Log into the Approaching Stanford Canvas course for the Zoom Link). Join us for some friendly conversation and advice, along with a look into some of our favorite beverages. Be kind to yourself as you look ahead into the next couple of months, and we look forward to welcoming each and every one of you!

Much OC love <3

How to Live Alone: A Guide

by OC Sophia

If you had asked me what was weighing on my mind the summer before college, I probably would have said, “finding friends, discovering my academic interests, and living away from home.” Moving to college is exciting, but it also means learning a lot of new skills. Perhaps you already know how to share a room or remember to take out the trash. Nonetheless, Stanford is a new environment, and you may feel anxious about managing these daily tasks in an unfamiliar place. I know the uncertainty and unfamiliarity of campus left me nervous, so I hope to paint you a clearer picture of what a “day-in-the-life” of a Stanford student looks like. In other words, I hope this blog post can serve as a guide to managing life outside of the classroom!

I’ve broken this post / advice column into a few essential parts:

  1. Laundry
  2. Trash
  3. Bathrooms

…which you’ll all find in or around your dorm. The list continues with:

  1. Finding your classrooms
  2. Transportation
  3. Dining Halls
  4. The gym :)

You might expect me to start with list item #1… and so I will :)... But first, I must plug my favorite section. If this post is too long for you, and you want to try out going to the gym (especially if you’re not a gym regular), read my last piece on the gym! I’ve tried my best to give helpful tips and encouragement.

Laundry

You’ll be relieved to hear that your building’s laundry room will be close to wherever you live. Usually, the laundry room is somewhere on the first floor of your building. In rarer cases, it might be in an adjacent laundry building. Your RAs will probably tell you where it is on the first day you arrive, but if they don’t, don’t hesitate to ask. It won’t be too hard to find :).

The great news about laundry is that it’s free! Stanford provides washers and dryers, but you’ll need to bring your own laundry detergent (and dryer sheets). Therefore, I recommend either arriving with a couple laundry pods just to get you through the first few weeks or buying some detergent as soon as you arrive. Some students like to buy drying racks or hang their clothes in their room.

The next thing you might need to know is that it’s courteous to take your laundry out of the machines as soon as it’s done. It’s nice when students don’t have to wait on machines :).

Finally, I have included a photo of the washing machine settings below.

The laundry machine settings you'll find in the dorms

Trash

More good news… the trash system is even easier than the laundry system! In your room, you will have a couple of bins: one for trash and one to two for recycling. You should sort your waste accordingly, and when your bins are full, you’ll take out your trash to a nearby location. All dorms have trash and recycling dumpsters just outside of the building somewhere. If you don’t hear from your RAs where the dumpsters are, you can either ask on your first day or simply walk around the building a little to locate them. Again, they shouldn’t be hard to find :).

The trash in your dorm’s bathrooms is often only for paper towels / compost. Either you will have one compost bin and one trash bin, or just a compost bin. Stanford requests that you don’t pollute the compost bins by putting in plastic or non-compostable items. Please also don’t put your room trash in bathroom trash bins. And this brings me nicely to my next topic…

Bathrooms

You might be wondering what to expect if you’ve never shared a bathroom before. Well, all bathrooms are women’s, men’s, or gender neutral. Depending on your building and floor, you will have a different configuration of bathrooms. Some bathrooms include showers, while others have their showers in a separate room.

When you’re thinking about dorm essentials to bring to campus, I would definitely pack a large towel and a pair of shower shoes. A shower caddy and a bathrobe are some other highly useful items that you could bring with you or buy once you’re here. I personally swear by a towel bathrobe: it’s a bathrobe that doubles as a towel.

Now, on to the exciting stuff!...

Finding your classrooms

If you don’t want to end up like Ron and Harry on their first day (late to McGonagall’s class), you might want to scout out your fall classrooms ahead of your first day. I recommend both Google Maps (if you’re in a hurry) and Stanford’s Searchable Map (which will certainly and accurately locate your building) to find your classrooms. I also recommend leaving extra time on any first day because you never know what problems you’ll encounter.

You might consider using Saturday or Sunday before classes start to find your buildings. The buildings themselves may be closed, but at least you’ll be familiar with your commute. I chose to walk to class for my first week because I was still unfamiliar with where I needed to turn, etc. There will be lots of bikes and scooters in the roads right before class times, so if you want to limit your stressors during your first week, you could consider walking to learn more of campus before you start biking around.

Students intently examining works of art and historical texts for their Introductory Seminar (IntroSem) course

As a last piece of advice, don’t worry too much about your first day! Professors know that it’s the first day of college for freshmen, and I haven’t heard of anyone being slammed with work on their first day :).

Transportation

Ahh… the age-old debate between bikes and scooters (and walking and well, the Marg too). I don’t think there is a definitively correct answer to this debate. Stanford’s campus is large, so many people prefer using a bike or scooter over walking, but each person is different. I have a bike, and yet I still choose to walk nearly everywhere (though, please note, I like to walk…). If you’re deciding  between a bike and a scooter, I can offer a short list of pros and cons:

The Bike

The Electric, Foldable Scooter

No matter your choice, bring a helmet. Your brain is precious: protect it!! Also, be sure to use the bike racks and don’t block doors, gates, or accessibility ramps.

I’ve already introduced walking as an alternative mode of transportation, but we have one more on campus: the Marguerite shuttle, or Marg for short! The Marg can take you from one end of campus, through Tresidder, to the other side of campus. There are other lines that can bring you to the Shopping Center and the Palo Alto Caltrain Station. The bus system has different hours for weekdays and weekends, but all the timetables can be found online or through the SPOT app. I’ve had friends suggest the TreeMap app as well…

Dining Halls

During your freshman year and most likely all of your years here on campus, you’ll be on one of Stanford’s meal plans. During your freshman year, you can choose between having 15 or 19 meal swipes per week. Each meal swipe corresponds to one mealtime. If you want to eat at the dining hall, you’ll swipe your ID card on a reader to access the dining hall. Each time you swipe, a meal swipe is deducted from your account. Fortunately, once you swipe in for a meal, you can exit and re-enter the dining hall as you want to get seconds (or thirds, etc.). You are not allowed to swipe into more than one dining hall per meal period, but you can ask a staff member to get your swipe retracted if you change your mind and decide you don’t want to eat at that dining hall (so long as you haven’t picked up your food yet).

In short, one meal swipe = one meal at a dining hall.

Depending on the meal plan you choose, you may get some “Meal Plan Dollars.” These are different from “Cardinal Dollars”, which is just your own money you’ve converted into Cardinal Dollars and put onto your account. Meal Plan Dollars can be used at many locations on campus, including Olives and the Tresidder Marketplace, for example. Meal Plan Dollars are meant to supplement your meal swipes, so you have some money to buy lunch, dinner, or snacks around campus. If you don’t eat breakfast or prefer to just eat a snack in the morning, then perhaps the 15 meal swipe plan is the best fit for you. If, however, you believe breakfast is important (or the most important meal of the day), you get up early, or you don’t want to go to class without something in your stomach, then maybe the reliability of the 19 meal swipe plan is a real benefit to you.

It is important to know that each dining hall will offer 3 meal periods during the week, but only 2 meal periods on the weekends (with brunch running through breakfast and lunch). That means that if you choose to stay on the 15 meal swipe plan, you can get lunch and dinner every day with one extra breakfast. Or, you could use all 15 of your swipes during the week and eat outside of the dining halls over the weekend… You’ll quickly figure out what the best configuration is for you once you experience a few weeks on campus! If you want to change your meal plan to 19 meals a week after trying out the 15 meal swipe plan, you have until the end of Week 3 to change your meal plan online.

If you ever decide to cook something in your dorm’s kitchenette, it is up to you to wash those dishes. Your dormmates will get frustrated if dirty dishes pile up in the kitchenette and the space becomes unusable. If you bring back a plate from the dining hall, it is also your responsibility to return it to dining.

And Lastly, The Gym

We have two gyms on campus… one on East campus and another on West campus. Both gyms have treadmills, stair-stepper machines, rowing machines, ellipticals, bikes, as well as weight machines, dumbbells, etc. You can usually find a mat as well. The gym on West Campus also has an outdoor lap pool attached to it, so it’s great for swimmers!

I’m using the last bit of this blog post to make a pitch for the gym :). No matter whether you live in the gym or have never been at all, there’s a space for you!! If you ever feel self-conscious, just remember that no one is really paying that much attention to anything besides their own workout. This may be reminiscent of my last “I am Stanford” blog post, but your first weeks on campus are the easiest and most effective time to establish new habits. If you don’t feel that comfortable in the gym yet but you’d like to go, then the first weeks of fall quarter are perfect! All the freshmen will have never been to Stanford’s gyms before. It’s also the time when you might find many other people who want to explore the gym for the first time too. If, like me, none of your close friends love the gym, then don’t be afraid to go on your own. I’ve included a few ideas below of workouts to try if you’re nervous about the gym:

  1. The Inclined Treadmill

Let’s say you don’t want to run but you’re looking for cardio. Then, you wouldn’t believe how many Stanford students you’ll find in the afternoons or evenings on the treadmills speed walking on that treadmill. If you adjust your treadmill’s incline and speed, you can get in some great cardio :). The best part of this plan is that you can set up your phone on the treadmill’s surface and play anything you want to watch. A similar thing can be done on the stair-steppers, and I swear those can be a great workout if you want them to be. 2. The 20-minute Weights

Let’s say you’ve never tried any weight machines before and now you’re looking to try them out… but you aren’t too sure. First, let me reassure you that most of the weight machines have nice illustrations that double as instructions. Most are quite intuitive too. And you don’t have to start with deadlifts either :). If you want to establish a habit of weightlifting, then you can start with something really simple: just entering the space. If you get down to the gym and spend just 20 minutes in the weights section, you’ll have done a lot! With time, you’ll feel more comfortable and confident. So, promise yourself you’ll spend at least 20 minutes in the weights section. After those 20 minutes, you can leave and do something else. Perhaps starting out at the gym feels hard or scary… but 20 minutes is only 20 minutes. Try it out :).

Now… the tip of all tips… bring those headphones! Especially those noise-cancelling ones if you want to run or do some cardio. You won’t be able to hear yourself anymore and you can enjoy / be distracted by music or any other audio.

I hope you’ll like the gym :).

And now… the Conclusion (I promise this is the end)

If you’ve made it this far, yay (and thank you)! I can’t wait to meet you this fall!! If you can’t tell, we’re very excited to welcome you. 🌲

Best wishes - OC Sophia :)

The Scoop on California Weather

by Your OCs

When you imagine coming to Stanford, what do you envision the weather and the scenery to be? Do you envision sunshine and palm trees? Maybe you’ve seen the beautiful photos of Palm Drive and you’ve thought, “Wow, that looks absolutely perfect. I can’t wait to experience that California weather!” Well, the truth is, the weather here is lovely! But, we OCs also want to ensure that you’re prepared for all of the seasons of weather you’ll experience during your time at Stanford, so here are some tips on navigating weather in Northern California and at Stanford!

Fall Quarter

At the start of the fall quarter, the final rays of late August summer sunshine will slowly drift away into your memory, and the weather will be turning to the crisp autumn air of mid-September. This time of year at Stanford is a great time to enjoy the outdoors while it’s still clear and sunny, usually without too much heat! OC Bryan can attest to this, coming from the more humid climate in southern Illinois. He says, “I love the weather here. In the fall, it does get chilly at night, but I’m used to extreme weather and I really love the weather here because it’s not humid.” As the weather starts to cool, typically students can be seen sporting t-shirts and long pants, sometimes with a hoodie or sweater if it’s a bit windy out. The mornings and late evenings (after about 7 or 8 pm) are chilly, and it’s important to be prepared if you’re going to be outside during those times, but otherwise the day will feel great as you go through your classes and make your way around campus!

Once we go deeper into the fall and head into November, however, you might start to see some rain. It’s definitely recommended to have an umbrella and a suitable jacket for those days when you wake up to cloudy skies and precipitation. Many students who typically bike or ride a scooter around campus choose to walk on these rainy days, since it’s much safer and they can be covered by the shelter of an umbrella. This potential rain will continue into the very last part of the fall quarter in early December, though most days you’ll still be able to go outside with no problem and scoot or bike safely!

Winter Quarter

When the new year and the new quarter begin in early January, you’ll definitely be using that rain jacket and umbrella. A tip for packing is that you can bring what you think you need for the fall, and if you feel you need extra layers, you can bring things back when you return for winter quarter (since campus closes down, though you can request to stay on campus ahead of time if needed). By then you’ll have a better sense of Northern California weather - some days will be quite rainy, but you’ll learn how to best navigate that and be just fine! The weather tends to shift a good deal during this time, with some days being sunny and clear and others turning cloudy and rainy. It’s good to be prepared for both!

Once February hits, you’ll be used to seeing the clouds and rain outside, but if you’re from a region of the world with more severe winters (for example with snow, hail, or heavy rain and thunder), Palo Alto winter weather might feel mild. For example, OC Sophia has lived in Colorado and Switzerland, where the weather tends to be more unpredictable. She says, “If you’re coming from an area where the weather tends to be very temperamental, the weather at Stanford is going to be just fine. You won’t need to wear anything like a snow jacket, heavy winter jackets, or boots in the winter, but you can bring what you’ll think you’ll need in the fall and then reassess in the winter to see if you feel like you’d like to bring anything from home.”

But, the way that you adjust to the weather also depends on the environment you’re used to. Coming from Los Angeles, OC Malaika warns that Stanford winter will be cold and rainy for anyone who isn’t used to harsher winters. “Keep in mind that if you’re from a warm climate, Stanford winter will be one of the coldest winters you’ve ever felt in your life,” she warns. “Make sure you have layers and solid jackets.”

A view of campus from Hoover Tower in February

Whether or not you’re used to the rain, there will be ways to make your winter cozy and comfortable. You might see hot chocolate, ice skating events, or lots of peppermint drinks - as long as you are aware and prepare yourself for the weather, you’ll be able to kick back and enjoy the cozy parts of winter. And once we reach the end of winter quarter, the rain will start to subside and you’ll see the sun more and more. It will be March by this time, which means we’re about to head into the spring!

Spring Quarter

Imagine this: it’s early April and you’re just getting ready to begin your spring quarter at Stanford; you walk outside of your dorm, and you see that everything is completely dry, and the sun is out and shining; you’ll also start to notice folks lounging outside on lawns and splashing around fountains (keep an eye out for an upcoming post about Stanford traditions to learn more about the time-honored tradition of fountain hopping!). This is the season where everyone is excited to spend time outside and campus is very active with students enjoying the sunshine!

The weather will still fluctuate, with potentially occasional rain in the early parts or days where the sun’s rays feel warmer than usual, but overall everybody enjoys the spring weather and are in good spirits coming out of the rainy season!

Lake Lagunita during spring quarter

Since the spring also extends into early June, there will likely be some very hot days at the end of the spring as it turns to summer. OCs Jack and Malik both emphasize this and recommend buying a fan. Malik says, “The weather is very hot here - I bought a portable fan, because where I’m from in Chicago it's really cold and humid. I also realized that sunscreen would be important throughout a good portion of the year.” Similarly, Jack sends a warning to everyone from an area where ceiling fans are common. He says, “There are no ceiling fans in the Bay Area - would definitely recommend bringing a portable fan for the warmer summer days.” This means it’s time to take out those sandals and shorts and cover up with sunscreen, sunglasses, and/or a hat! Enjoy the swimming pools and fountains as the school year wraps up!

Wrapping It All Up

I don’t know about you, but with all this talk about the weather, I’m ready to go outside and soak up the sun! Whether it’s rain or shine, you’ll find activities to do on campus to either cool off or stay dry. We know that you all will be coming from areas with very different climates and weather patterns, so hopefully this helps you feel a bit more prepared for what you’ll experience on campus and in Northern California in general. It will all depend on where you’re from and what you’re used to, but we know you’ll adjust and enjoy the great parts of going to school in California!

Much OC love - Canon <3

by OC Jack

If you’re anything like me, you probably showed up to the Admit weekend activities fair and saw a sea of tables with hundreds of students and thought, where do I even begin? Maybe you grabbed a few flyers, scanned some QR codes, or put your name and email down on an interest list or two. And maybe, like myself, you left thinking, Stanford has more opportunities than I know what to do with.

Whether you had an experience like this, only looked into a few clubs online, or haven’t even begun to consider student organizations on campus, there is something in this article for you. In this blog post, I’ll talk a bit about my own experience navigating student groups on campus, what kinds of groups are available, how and when to learn more and get involved, and how to balance your involvement with academics and the rest of your life.

A Bit About My Commitments

As someone who has always stretched myself thin with commitments, I went into Stanford worrying that I might load up with extracurriculars and not have enough time for studying, sleeping, or a social life. Two years down the road, I’m on the Men’s Lacrosse team, a member of the Stanford Fleet Street Singers, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Stanford Pre-Law Society, and I feel like I’ve learned to balance it all pretty well. I’ve already written a good bit about how some of these groups have greatly impacted my time at Stanford in my “I am Stanford” blog post a few weeks ago, so I won’t bore you with all the details here, but as we journey through talking about student groups on campus in this article, I’ll work in bits and pieces of my experiences in hopes of conveying what the process of learning about, joining, and balancing student group membership looks like in practice.

As I go about this though, I want to stress that each person’s experiences with student groups are different. Some become members of several groups and stay loosely involved, some commit to one group and invest a bunch of time there, some joining groups in the first week of Fall Quarter and remain a member for their entire time at Stanford, while some join a group in their final year at Stanford. There is no one right way to go about being involved in student groups. I don’t want you to read this post as a to-do list, but rather as an advice column. I simply want to share what my experience has been so that you all have a real perspective to consider as you begin to imagine what involvement in student groups at Stanford will look like for you.

What kinds of Student Groups are there on Campus?

As of 2025, Stanford has more than 750 Voluntary Student Organizations (VSOs) registered with the Office of Student Engagement. While there may be faculty and staff involved in these organizations, they are largely student-led. During NSO, you can expect to see many tables set up by different organizations in White Plaza where student groups will be handing out flyers, answering questions about their organization, and encouraging new students to join. Beginning Weeks 1-2, some organizations will host social events or info-sessions for new students to learn about their groups, and the Office of Student Engagement will host a big FestiFall student organization fair. After that, there will be a few more “club fairs” for specific categories of clubs that may not add new members until later. *

Now, I won’t bore you by listing all of the VSOs; instead, I’ll give an outline of the many different categories of groups on campus. These aren’t official categories, but more like an overview of the breadth of opportunity within the world of student organizations. If any of these categories you read about interest you, I’d encourage you all to check out the Stanford Office of Student Engagement (OSE), where you can find more resources about student organizations.

*While Greek Life organizations are VSOs, I won’t cover them in this post as they conduct their recruiting processes in Spring quarter and operate a bit differently than other organizations.

Students walking around the activities fair in White Plaza

Academic/Pre-professional orgs

These VSOs are centered around academic enrichment and career development, connecting students with mentors, internships, competitions, and speaker events across fields like law, medicine, engineering, business, and the humanities. Whether you’re pre-law, pre-med, or simply curious about a career path, these orgs offer workshops, panels, and peer communities to help you navigate your interests.

Arts/Performance groups

Stanford has a vibrant creative scene, and its arts-related VSOs span a cappella groups, theater troupes, dance teams, jazz ensembles, improv collectives, and more. These orgs give students opportunities to perform, create original work, and build community through music, visual art, theater, and film—often culminating in campus showcases or off-campus gigs.

Athletics/Recreation

From competitive club sports like rugby, lacrosse, and ultimate frisbee to recreational groups centered on hiking, martial arts, or wellness, these VSOs bring together students who want to stay active and connect over shared physical interests. Many compete nationally or regionally, while others are purely social and stress-relieving.

Community Service/Public Service groups

These organizations embody Stanford’s commitment to service, offering students hands-on opportunities to give back through tutoring, clinics, policy advocacy, environmental work, and more. Some partner with local nonprofits, while others focus on global service projects or social entrepreneurship.

Culture/Identity based groups

Cultural VSOs foster a sense of belonging and celebration for students of various ethnic, national, and identity backgrounds. These groups often host heritage nights, discussions, performances, and community dinners, creating space for cultural expression, education, and advocacy both within and beyond the Stanford community.

Media/Publication groups

For those interested in writing, journalism, design, or broadcasting, Stanford’s media and publication VSOs offer outlets to produce content that reaches wide audiences. From The Stanford Daily and satire magazines to political journals and podcasts, these groups let students shape campus discourse and hone their storytelling skills.

Political/Social awareness groups

These VSOs promote civic engagement and critical dialogue around political ideologies, public policy, and social justice. Whether it’s through organizing events, inviting guest speakers, or running voter registration drives, these groups are a hub for students who want to engage with the world’s most pressing issues.

Religious/Spiritual groups

Students looking for a faith-based community will find numerous VSOs across a wide range of religious and spiritual traditions. These groups provide fellowship, worship services, discussion groups, and retreats—helping students explore their beliefs and connect with others in a supportive environment.

Getting Involved with Student Groups

Just as there are a variety of “categories” of student groups to explore, the processes of joining an organization can look quite different from group to group. Each organization has their own way of admitting new members, and the criteria for membership eligibility spans from specific qualifications to “no experience necessary!” For groups you are interested in, you should aim to figure out early-on how new members can join. Lucky for you though, I’m going to break down most of it!

Students walking around an activities fair during New Student Orientation

Tryouts/Auditions

Some of the more competitive athletic and performance groups hold tryouts and auditions processes for members looking to join. While many organizations like a cappella, some dance groups, and other music or performance groups hold their auditions or tryouts right at the beginning of the year, other groups that are more seasonal, like some club sports, for example, will hold tryouts anytime before their season. Auditions and tryouts look quite different within groups; some require specific preparation, some only ask that you bring yourself, some are days-long processes with multiple rounds, and some are rather quick.

Applications

Some VSOs, most commonly academic or pre-professional groups, will accept applications during a certain period and have a process for reviewing and admitting applicants. The competitiveness of these applications varies quite a bit between groups. Similarly to groups that hold auditions or tryouts, there may be a set time at the beginning of the year to apply, a set time later in the year to apply, or no set time – some organizations accept applications year-round and review candidates on a quarterly basis.

Others

For many groups on campus, there aren’t applications, auditions, or tryouts. I know, I’ve mentioned that some athletic, arts, academic, and pre-professional groups have some form of tryout or application to join, but the reality is that there are many groups within those categories as well that require no tryout or no prior experience. Most of these groups will accept new members throughout the year, and several have no formal process of joining, you’d just show up or join a group chat!

Balancing Student Group Involvement and Academics/Life

Now that you have a sense of the opportunities with student groups on campus, let’s talk about balancing your involvement in student groups with everything else you’re going to have going on at Stanford. The question of “how do I balance extracurriculars with the rest of my schedule?” is one we get quite often, and as I mentioned earlier, there is no one correct way of going about involvement in student groups at Stanford. Each student’s balance of academics, clubs, and other extracurriculars looks quite different, so there’s not any “catch-all” answer to this question. Rather than give you a guide to what your schedule ought to look like, I’ll just share some valuable tips. So here’s some advice from a VSO-veteran.

Don’t be afraid to try something new

Too often I see students shy away from joining or trying out for a group because they have no experience or because it’s unfamiliar to them. My advice would be to learn as much as you can about the organizations that interest you, and if you end up on the fence, go for it! I auditioned for a capella on a whim, signing up the night before auditions and with no formal singing experience. Now, I look back and consider that to be one of the best decisions I’ve made at Stanford. Don’t rule out joining a group because it’s something different than what you’re used to.

Figure out what works for you

Maybe you’re the type that always needs structured time. Maybe you’d rather just go with the flow. Maybe you jump at every opportunity that comes your way, or maybe you need to set aside alone time to clear your head. What each student needs in terms of extracurricular involvement varies by time commitment, degree of involvement, and social proclivities. As someone who feels “refueled” by being around people and one who loves to structure my time, I’ve found that I enjoy loading up my schedule each day and always having something to do and people to be with. Some of my friends, though, are the opposite; they’d rather be involved in just one organization and leave time to change things up each day in their schedules. Your first year at Stanford will be a great time to figure out what kind of involvements in student groups are the best for you. Don’t worry – everyone else is going through the same process –  it’s just part of adjusting to college!

Find groups that are “Communities” and not “Commitments”

Although I’m one who tends to fill my week with extracurricular activities, I have to say, they don’t really feel like commitments at the end of the day. Sure, I may spend 2 hours of my Monday at Lacrosse practice, another hour or so at FCA, followed immediately by a 2 hour a cappella rehearsal, but the reality is, those are things that I’d want to do in my free time anyway. Rather than getting involved with groups that I see as “commitments”, I’ve found the communities that share my passions for athletics, arts, faith, and more. And if I’m being honest, spending time with those communities are the highlights of my day.

I truly believe that while each student is different in their relationships with student groups on campus, there is a balance to be discovered for each person looking to figure out where their communities are. Don’t feel the need to join a group just because someone else does, or to try and model your schedule after another student. Like I said, there’s not one correct way to be involved with extracurriculars. I am excited for each of you to figure out what involvement in student groups looks like for your Stanford journey!

All the best - OC Jack :)

Fear the Tree - Stanford Traditions & Spirit

by OC Canon, LSJUMB, & The Axe Committee

As you anticipate your arrival to Stanford, you’ll soon find that school spirit and community are abundant on campus! In this blog post, we’ll highlight some of the major Stanford school traditions that help to bring this to the forefront of the student body. We’re also excited to welcome the wonderful Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band (LSJUMB, also known as the Band) and the Axe Committee (our school spirit troopers on campus) to introduce some of the traditions that they play an important role in and all of the school spirit they exude!

How We Show Our Stanford Spirit

Once you arrive, you’ll see that there are many wonderful teams (and mascots) whom you can count on to bring the hype and energize any crowd to celebrate Stanford spirit! Let’s meet a few of them who you’ll become familiar with through the incredible traditions we have on campus.

The Stanford Tree

What do you mean, the mascot is a tree, I thought it was the color cardinal? If this is a question you have received in the weeks and months leading up to your arrival at Stanford, don’t worry, you are not alone!

Technically, our school mascot is the Cardinal (as in the specific shade of red) hence the chant “Go Card”. This was decided on after Stanford shifted away from our past problematic mascot. But in 1975, The Stanford Band thought they would throw their hat in the ring and come up with new mascot ideas. So, during football halftime shows, we would bring out a variety of different mascots to try and appease the masses, such as “The Steaming Manhole,” or the “The French Fry.” When we proposed The Tree, fans loved it, and it became the official mascot of The Band, the unofficial mascot of the school, and the best mascot of all time.

Three Stanford Trees running across the football field during Alumni Weekend 2024

Each year, a group of new sprouts audition to be the next Stanford Tree. Through a two-week long series of stunts known as Tree Week, these students demonstrate their vigor and creativity to the current Tree. Whether they spend the night in a tree, show up to class dressed as the Lorax, or enter holy matrimony with an oak, these students each approach this tradition in their own unique way. At the end of this period, the current Tree selects their successor and the whole band gathers to roll them out in style. This new Tree immediately takes over Tree duties, whether that is performing at sports games, rallies, or the Olympics. Each new Tree creates their own costume, which they wear for the duration of their time as Tree.

The Stanford Band

The LSJUMB is Stanford’s very own student-run school spirit organization and The World's Largest Rock and Roll Band. Since 1963, we in the Band have made it our mission to bring funk to the funkless and provide Stanford students with a truly fun experience. Never have we been accused of taking ourselves too seriously, and we constantly have heaps of fun at both athletic and University events alike. Our scatter-band style, goofy blazers, bucket hats, and rallies across campus are just some of the ways we contribute to Stanford’s unique student life.

Our wonderfully painted Tubas (Tööbz) on the Football Field

The Stanford Dollies

The Stanford Dollies have been dancing at athletic and Band events alike, providing excellent choreo and giving our music a necessary excitement during performances. Made up of 5 dancers each year, they perform beloved dances from the past, while also contributing their own choreography and creativity each year. Their dances often include a blend of ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, and more, with the result constantly being unique and impressive, laced with the legacy of Dollie sisterhood and the broader Stanford school spirit.

The 2025-26 Dollies at Dollie Splash

The Axe Committee (Axe Comm)

As “Custodians of Stanford Spirit, Tradition, and Revelry," the Stanford Axe Committee (or Axe Comm) is a student group devoted to supporting Stanford’s excellent athletics program. Our primary responsibility is to guard and care for the Stanford Axe, the trophy of the annual Big Game between Stanford and UC Berkeley (also known as Cal). In addition to Axe security, the Axe Committee plays a large role in promoting school spirit by attending athletic games and events. During football season, Axe Comm members are on the sidelines during each football game waving flags, raising nets, and blowing the Stanford Whistle every time Stanford scores. And through numerous shifts during Big Game Week they maintain a 24-hour presence in the plaza and blow the train whistle once each hour on the hour for every year there has been a Big Game.

The Axe Committee excitedly cheering during football season (Photo taken from Axe Committee website)

Each of these important hallmarks of Stanford spirit bring such life to campus and the special culture cultivated here. Thanks to that spirit, we’re able to participate in wonderful traditions throughout the year and celebrate our Stanford pride!

Year-Round Traditions

Some Stanford traditions are fun and exist throughout the year, ones that students can either participate in or see in action any time they’re on campus! Let’s dive into some things that you can look forward to at various points in the year, and in the case of many of these, enjoy as frequently as you’d like!

Fountain Hopping

A Stanford classic, perfect for hot spring days, is to swim in the chlorinated fountains that seemingly exist around every corner on campus. This silly tradition is a great way to take a step back from academics and appreciate the glorious weather we so often receive. On many  sunny days, you can catch Stanford students moving in groups between fountains, snacks and towels in hand.

Fountain Rally 2025

The band is known to take this tradition one step further by frequently performing in and around these fountains for the last rally with our current Dollies (aptly titled Fountain Rally) and the first rally with our new Dollies (similarly aptly titled Dollie Splash)!

FLiCKS

Every Sunday, a student group called FLiCKS hosts a movie night open to all students to kick back and enjoy some entertainment and snacks! This is a fun tradition that you’ll see throughout the year and can attend whenever you’re available! Come by to see some fun films and enjoy some great company.

Class Formals

Every class on campus will also have a formal of their own! From what I’ve seen during my time at Stanford, Frosh Formal usually happens in fall quarter, Sophomore Formal happens during winter quarter, and Junior and Senior formal happen during spring quarter. These formals are a wonderful way to celebrate the quarter with your friends and enjoy some food at a nice venue!

Fall Quarter Traditions

Right away in the fall, the academic year will kick off with tons of Stanford spirit and fun! You’ll get to experience the excitement of the Big Rivalry football game against Cal and get to know all of the great activities on campus.

SF Scavenger Hunt

Many frosh dorms will arrange a trip to San Francisco for a scavenger hunt that you’ll embark on with a group of your dormmates! The list of items includes getting different foods, taking photos in various spots, and doing activities together. It’s a fun way to get to know others in your dorm in the first couple of weeks of your first quarter.

Football Games

Game days start with “The Walk,” in which the Band, led by a costumed drum major, plays the football team into the stadium. Decked out in our football finest and playing everything from stop-signs to violins, the Band proceeds to perform in front of each group of tailgaters. With fans hyped and ready to go, it's time for the game to begin.

Instead of playing our designated school song, “Come Join the Band,” the Band plays the rock and roll number All Right Now by Free throughout Game Day as our fight song. This features an iconic eight-count leading up to everyone in the band, and everyone watching, jumping into the air. While this tradition waned during the pandemic and years following it, we are enthusiastic to finally bring it back! Keep an eye out for an Instagram post coming out soon about how to jump to All Right Now!

In our fantastic section costumes, the Stanford Band intently watches Big Game 2024

Football games feature not one but two dance teams hyping up the fans, the impeccable Stanford Cheerleaders and the Band’s own dance team, the Stanford Dollies. These two groups keep the fans enthused with top-tier dances and continuous cheers. During pregame and halftime, the band rushes the field to perform our field shows, in which we feature everything from cyber-truck bashing to unrequited love as we perform songs and spell out punchlines on the field. Join us for any of our six home games this fall! And even if you’re not able to make it, don’t worry - you’ll be able to catch the band at other games and events around campus!

The amazing 24-25 Dollies jumping as The Band plays All Right Now during The Walk

Big Game Week

The infamous, cross-bay rivalry between Stanford and Cal comes to a head each fall at The Big Game, a football match that the universities take turns hosting. Going strong since 1892, this rivalry is one of the oldest in college football history!

The Stanford/Berkeley rivalry prompted one of the most infamous (and anti-trombone 😢) plays ever at the 85th Big Game in 1982. The game came to a wild conclusion when the Bears somehow completed a touchdown when everyone thought Stanford had won. The Band moved to the field while this play was happening, and trombonist Gary Tyrell ‘83 was unfortunately in the way of a defensive back’s celebratory leap to the end zone. We in The Stanford Band still contend the game should’ve been called before this absolute tragedy (HIS KNEE WAS DOWN), and our trombones still shudder at the thought of that day. A week-long series of traditions and shenanigans known as Big Game Week takes place at Stanford during the lead up to the game itself. This week features everything from free nerd nation t-shirts to dyed red fountains and hypes the student body up to cheer on the football team as they take down Cal.

Throughout Big Game Week, Stanford’s school spirit organization, the Stanford Axe Committee, hosts a 24/7 campout countdown in White Plaza’s “birdcage.” While Axe Comm holds down the fort, students across campus swarm to see Gaieties, a student run theater production that encapsulates the rivalry with Cal in song and dance. This iconic tradition brings the campus together as it makes fun of Stanford and Cal (but mostly Cal).

Big Game Week Countdown 2024 (Photo taken from Axe Committee Instagram)

And let’s not forget the Band! We kick the week off with Bearial, a solemn funereal affair in which we bid goodbye to Oski, Cal’s ferociously strange mascot. This time-honored event features a touching eulogy, tastefully chosen music, and the bloody decapitation of the old bear himself. In addition to performing our duties at Bearial, the Band travels to the Saint Francis Yacht Club for Big Sail, where we engage in a battle of the bands with Cal as our sailing teams duke it out in the bay. Our few spare moments throughout the week are spent in the Band Shak, listening to “We’re Gonna Eat da Bears” on repeat and crafting our unique section costumes. Whether we are the hungry hungry caterpillar, an army of Waldos, or sriracha sauce bottles, each section brings their own unique flavor to Big Game.

Bearial 2024

The week culminates as students from Stanford and Cal flood the stadium to cheer on their teams. Fueled by decades of rivalry, the Band’s pregame and halftime performances poke fun at our rival, egg on their fans, and celebrate the cardinal spirit. The winning team takes the legendary Axe back home and we do it all again the next year! As you think of all the spirit you’ll put into the Big Game, also make sure to cheer on the other incredible athletic teams that participate in the rivalry between Berkeley and Stanford and represent our school with the utmost pride!

Winter Quarter Traditions

As we transition into winter quarter, there are several cozy events and big Stanford traditions to look forward to! This time on campus is full of winter delights like hot chocolate, ice skating, and comfort food.

Frosh Winter Warm-Up

The Frosh Winter Warm-Up is an event that takes place at the very beginning of winter quarter to get frosh geared up for exploring and learning in their second quarter at Stanford. You’ll see many student programs, opportunities for exploration and engagement, and resources on campus!

Midnight Breakfast

Are you more of a dinner for breakfast person or do you prefer breakfast for dinner? Either way, you’ll find something fun for you at the annual Midnight Breakfast! During this event in winter quarter, many of the dining halls on campus provide breakfast classics like pastries, fruit, pancakes, orange juice, and cereals at the stroke of midnight. Go enjoy some fun and good food with friends! Your tater tots might even get served to you by President Levin himself!

Viennese Ball

Stanford’s Viennese Ball Opening Committee hosts an annual student Ball every February, where everyone is welcome to enjoy social dance and an electric atmosphere as students light up the dance floor. This is a welcoming Stanford tradition that invites the Stanford community to celebrate the year, with performances by the Viennese Committee and an open space for dancing and socializing.

Excited attendees of Stanford’s Viennese Ball (Photo taken from StanfordArts Website)

Spring Quarter Traditions

If you think autumn and winter sound busy, get ready for spring! The energy only gets bigger as we celebrate more special traditions!

Blackfest

Every spring, Stanford’s Black Family Gathering Committee and Stanford Live (one of the major music organizing committees on campus) host the largest R&B/Hip-Hop festival in the Bay Area, known as BlackFest. This celebration takes place on campus in Frost Amphitheater and celebrates the bridge between the Black communities of the Bay Area and that of Stanford. You’ll want to experience this exciting day of performances by Black artists, vendors, and the local community.

Frost Fest

Continuing on the theme of concerts in the amphitheater and celebrating great music, another major event that excites the student body every spring is Frost Fest, organized by the Stanford Concert Network (a student organization on campus known for coordinating on-campus concerts for the student body to enjoy). This major music festival in the Frost Amphitheater (which used to host Grateful Dead concerts) now features up-and-coming artists and is a celebration of the Stanford community and incredible live music!

Stanford Powwow

Every Mother’s Day Weekend, students can look forward to attending the Stanford Powwow - the largest student-run Powwow in the United States! You won’t want to miss this exciting celebration of life and Indigenous culture organized by Stanford’s very own Powwow Committee. You can expect to see exhilarating dance performances, singing, vendors, and other festivities as you feel the energy of the crowd around you and explore long-standing tradition.

Powwow attendees browse Indigenous jewelry, bags, and other items at the booths during the 54th annual Powwow in 2025 (Photo taken from Stanford Daily)

Frosh Dorm End-of-Year Celebrations

Something to look forward to is the end of the year celebration each dorm hosts in their own unique way! Some will cater dinner and call it a "Banquet", some will do a picnic, and some might just go fountain-hopping! Whatever your dorm will do, know that it will be full of fun, friendship, and good memories. Your first dorm on campus is a special Stanford tradition that alumni will always ask each about, no matter what your class year!

The Wacky Walk

While graduation may seem far away, we can confidently tell you that the time flies. When your Stanford journey has come to an end, you get to engage in one final, silly tradition before you say goodbye. Wacky Walk is a graduation celebration held as part of the Commencement Ceremony on the football field. Instead of a formal procession into the stadium, grads go all out in wacky costumes. Typical years will feature cardboard Cal-Trains, tongue-in-cheek puns, Stanford inside jokes, and all together out-of-pocket attire. And in case you thought this was a tradition sadly lacking the Band, fear not! We will be there cheering you on and performing with our graduates one last time.

Students dressed as crocs, wearing crocs, for wacky walk 2025

Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to read through this longer blog post we have surrounding Stanford Traditions! Stanford spirit is cultivated in so many special ways, and we OCs hope that you will get as excited as we are for all of these celebrations of campus culture throughout the year. Another special thanks to The Stanford Band and the Axe Committee for their contributions to this article and all of the work they do to keep bringing out the most in Stanford spirit. Go Card!

All the best,

The Stanford Band

The Axe Committee

Blog OC Canon

A Student's Guide to Dining Halls & Campus Eateries

by OC Sophia

You’re probably curious about where you’ll eat on campus and what the food will be like. Hopefully, this blog post will answer some of your questions :).

Stanford has 9 dining halls: Arrillaga, Lakeside, Stern, Casper, FloMo (Florence Moore), Wilbur, Ricker, Branner, and EVGR (Escondido Village Graduate Residences) Dining. EVGR is meant for graduate students living at EVGR, so you’ll primarily eat at the other 8. For a given day, most dining halls will serve about the same menu. However, you’ll find several chef’s specials around campus. Wilbur offers Southeast Asian cuisine at their Star Ginger station while Stern boasts Mexican cuisine at their Cardinal Sage station, for example. Arrillaga is perhaps Stanford’s largest dining hall closely followed by Lakeside, where you can find soul food at the Red Skillet Kitchen station. Both of these dining halls have longer breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours for students who have missed the regular mealtime hours. FloMo serves Indian food on Sundays and has a history of always having good ice cream. Ricker is known for its continuously good desserts and quieter atmosphere. If you eat at Branner, you’ll get to sit in a beautiful hall and enjoy a quieter surrounding as well. If you’re wondering where to go on a lazy Saturday morning, then Casper is definitely the spot. Casper has crepes during Saturday brunch and is a popular spot for students to gather and chat with their friends. Each dining hall has its own flair, chef’s specials, and atmosphere, so I recommend that you try out all of the dining halls once you get here, since you can eat at any of the dining halls. You can find the menu for each dining hall online one week in advance. This tool is particularly useful if you have any dietary restrictions and would like to check your options.

A group eating in Lakeside dining

Stanford also has several cafes, lunch spots, and eateries that you might want to explore once you’re on campus. If you want to save your Meal Plan Dollars (this amount will vary based on the meal plan you’ve chosen) or don’t want to spend your own money, you always have the option to eat at the dining halls, but if you’re looking to try something new or bring lunch on the go, then Stanford’s eateries could be a great option! Some eateries accept your Meal Plan Dollars, so I recommend checking out this list to view your choices.

The best campus eatery is a highly contested issue. You’ll hear from each of your OCs on their top choice and usual order.

Malik: Blend Eatery

Reason for Choice: “Why not?”

His Order: Bowl with a base of greens, half panko chicken, half tapa beef, cucumbers, spinach, kimchi, green onions, sweet chili sauce, sriracha mayo

Near both the Engineering Quad and the Med School, Blend Eatery is a very popular spot on campus for asian-style rice (or lettuce) bowls! Blend is structured as a “choose as you go” type eatery (think Chipotle or Subway), so you have countless options. You can opt for tofu, several kinds of meat, or keep your bowl plant-based. They also sell spam musubi, snacks, and drinks. Although the lines may be long, Blend is well worth the wait! If you are a regular, you might consider ordering online to skip the lines. I can certify that Blend is a must-try.

Canon: Coupa @ Green Library

Reason for Choice: their many gluten-free and vegan options

Her Order: Chicken pesto crepe / Strazza crepe

Perfectly located outside one of Stanford’s largest libraries, Coupa @ Green is a hub for students. Whether you’re taking a snack break from your studies or catching up with your friend on the weekend, Coupa has plenty of options for you. They sell pastries like chocolate croissants (ie. des pains au chocolat) as well as banana bread and muffins. Coupa also has a wide selection of coffees and smoothies. If you’re craving more of a full meal, you can order everything from crepes to salads. Canon personally recommends their crepes for an especially yummy (and gluten-free) order. Coupa opens early and closes relatively late, so it’s a great all-day option.

Students eating and enjoying the sun outside at Coupa Cafe

Jack (and Bryan): TreeHouse

Reason for Choice: large menu; cheaper prices; central campus location

His Order: Philly cheesesteak (Jack); pizza or nachos (Bryan)

You’ll find TreeHouse in Tresidder, right in the middle of campus. TreeHouse sells a variety of cuisines from American, Mexican, Indian, Asian, to Vegan. You can get a slice of pizza on your way out or sit down with friends for dinner. In this regard, Jack chose TreeHouse as his favorite eatery in part because his a cappella group will routinely hold Friday night dinners in TreeHouse. When the weather is nice or an event is happening, you can grab your food and sit outside on the tables behind Tresidder. TreeHouse is definitely another must try!

Bryan: TAP (ie. The Axe and Palm)

Reason for Choice: veggie burgers

His Order: Black bean burger

If you’re looking for late night food around campus, then TAP may be perfect for you. TAP is famously open until 2am and sells mostly burgers, fries, and other comfort foods. TAP ranks high on Bryan’s list of eateries for their black bean burger, a great option for a vegetarian diet. TAP accepts Meal Plan Dollars, which is a significant perk if you’re on the 12 or 15-meal swipe meal plan which gives you extra money to spend at select locations on campus. So, whether you’re studying late into the night or returning from an event, TAP has you covered.

The Axe and Palm Eatery

Malaika: Ray’s Grill

Reason for Choice: cheaper prices; good food

Her Order: Carne Asada Tacos

Located near EVGR, Ray’s Grill offers a similar selection to TreeHouse, with bowls, burgers, and burritos. Ray’s Grill opens between 9 or 10 am (depending on the day) and closes at 8pm, so you can stop by for lunch or dinner. Since the eatery is on the edge of campus, Ray’s Grill may be perfect if you are looking to “get away” for a moment.

Sophia: Olive’s

Reason for Choice: large portion sizes; delicious sandwiches

My Order: The Dish (the Banh Mi sandwich)

I strongly believe Olives lives up to its reputation as the best sandwich place on campus. Open for breakfast and lunch, you can get snacks, coffee, a salmon entree, and… you guessed it, sandwiches. I personally recommend “The Dish” but each of my friends has a different pick. Olives, like TAP, accepts Meal Plan Dollars, so I highly recommend checking out Olives around lunchtime and using (up) some of your Meal Plan Dollars. Olives operates from the bottom level of building 160, so, if you’re already in Main Quad, you don’t ever have to leave! Olives always packages their sandwiches into take-away boxes, so this eatery is a great option for students who want to pick up their food and eat it later.

We look forward to seeing you soon on campus… T-39 days!!

A countdown to NSO - 39 more days!

A Breakdown of Stanford Acronyms

by OC Malaika

Remember coming to Stanford back in April during Admit Weekend? You probably heard terms like “Profro,” “Roho,” and “Hoho,” and I assume you were a little confused. After talking to Stanford students, I’m sure you’ve noticed that Stanford has an oddly large obsession with acronyms.

This is one of those quirky little things about Stanford—one of the things that makes this university and student body so unique. Today we’re going to break down some of these acronyms so that once you get on campus, you’re not as confused as you were when you came for Admit Weekend.

General Campus Locations:

Dorms/Dining:

People/Communities/Groups:

Miscellaneous:

Well, I hope now you feel a little more prepared to take on Stanford and its millions of acronyms. During your time at Stanford, you’ll continue to discover more unique acronyms and the quirky little things like this that make Stanford, Stanford.

Best wishes,

OC Malaika <3

T-Minus how many days now?! Where to go from here

by Your OCs

I have some shocking news for you all - as this blog post is being published we’re here at T-minus 25 days until you arrive! You’ve now gotten your housing assignments; you’ve heard about your quarter assignments for PWR and COLLEGE; or if you’re participating in a program like SLE or Italic, and you’re about to hear from your Academic Advisors! You could definitely say that things are starting to come together, and the official start of your Stanford journey is right around the corner! But what does that mean for you? What to do with the next month, and how can you be as prepared as possible for what’s in store? From NSO to planning out your activities and courses in the Spring, we’ll discuss what you can do to help prepare and get started off on the right foot.

For the Next Month

Over the course of the next month, there are several things that you can start planning for to make the next few weeks a whole lot easier. There will be so much coming up and things to look forward to!

Mostly you should prioritize your downtime and time with your loved ones, but you’ll also want to start thinking about what you want to bring to campus and how you’ll get around. To provide some guidance for that, here’s a list of what is recommended for students to pack as they prepare for coming to campus. You still have time, but no time like the present to start planning ahead! Have fun with this as you think about decor and put together your dream room!

In addition, you’ll want to finalize how you’re getting to campus and who might be coming with you! Since many folks will be flying in, you’ll want to consider how many bags you can bring per your airline and when exactly you would like to get into the Bay Area. If you have friends or family in the area, this would also be a great time to contact them to let them know you’re getting ready for the move.

Resident Student Leaders getting ready to welcome their residents on move-in day!

Aside from moving and packing, you will also be able to see your course options and begin planning the courses you might take in the fall. We’ll have more information on how this works next week on the blog, but this year, the university is implementing a new course selector called Navigate Classes. As of now, you’ll be able to see all of the course offerings and the times each class is available, and when we get closer to your enrollment you’ll be able to officially plan your course schedule in SimpleEnroll which you’ll enter through Axess. No need to worry about officially planning right now - there’s still time and OC Sophia will walk you through that in our article about the Navigate Classes Selector.

Fall Quarter Planning

First thing when you come to campus, you’ll be jumping right into either ISO or NSO, depending on where you’re coming from and whether you’re participating in ISO. So, what can you expect from your first week on campus? The schedule for your orientation will be out in early September, but until then, just be prepared for a fun time and getting to know your new campus and classmates! By the end of the week, you’ll have officially enrolled in your classes and gotten to know your dorm, and you will feel much more comfortable and ready to start your academic journey.

Afterwards, classes will start and you’ll get your first taste of being a student here! On that Sunday right before classes, we recommend taking a trip around campus and searching for where all of your courses are located - this will help you feel so much more prepared when it’s time for that first lecture.

You might have courses or want to study in Lathrop, pictured above

But once you’re all enrolled and classes have started, what happens then? It’s time to explore all of the great student groups and see what else you’d like to be involved in! During the first couple of weeks of Fall Quarter, there will be a 3-day-long club & activities fair called FestiFall where you’ll get to meet each of the exciting organizations you can explore! One day will be for each category of group: from performing arts to pre-professional clubs to religious or cultural groups. It will be fun you won’t want to miss!

Scenes from Stanford's club fair, FestiFall

Throughout the rest of your first quarter, you’ll get acquainted with the cadence of the quarter system and life on campus. Take advantage of opportunities to connect with your dormmates, classmates, and faculty members! Also make sure that you’re taking time to reflect during this first quarter and find which routines, organizational systems, or campus resources are working well for you.

Winter Quarter Planning

Next comes the very exciting second quarter! You’ll have some experience by this point, and it will be time for a completely new set of classes (which you’ll enroll in at the end of fall quarter). Most of you will have gone home for the Winter Break and just be traveling back to the Bay after a couple of weeks as well.

But how is this quarter different from the first aside from the new courses? In ways beyond that, it will be different in that you might consider new student groups to explore if they accept new members at the start of each quarter, and you’ll feel more settled in your community.

At the beginning of the quarter, frosh can attend the Frosh Winter Warm-Up, which will be a comprehensive review of some of the resources and offices available for students as they navigate their first year at Stanford. You might see some new things that you’ve heard about from friends or simply weren’t aware of until then!

The Claw fountain at the heart of campus in the winter

Spring Quarter Planning

And now it’s time for the final quarter of the standard 3-quarter academic year - the spring! This will be an interesting period of reflection and growth as you realize that although you now have 2 quarters of experience, you still are in the process of wrapping up your first year and will likely still have some questions - and that’s completely natural.

At the beginning of the quarter, you’ll also want to make sure you’re either exploring classes that you’ll finalize by the study list deadline or have a full schedule that you can manage. Many students take a slightly lighter quarter in the spring to allow for more time to enjoy the nice weather and all of the fun activities that will take place throughout dorms and on campus!

The thing you'll want to focus on this quarter is - believe it or not - how to store all of your belongings and move out of your current dorm. It will be such a win to start thinking about this early - you’ll save so much time and stress and be all ready for when the summer comes! On that note, you’ll also select your housing for the next fall during this quarter.

Students enjoying the sunshine in the Spring

OC Words of Advice:

That’s a wrap on the overview of what you can plan for over the next month or so and a general outline of how each quarter is a bit different. We know this is a time that you might be getting a little bit restless - some of your friends may be starting school, you’ve heard so much about coming here over the past few months, and maybe you just kind of want to get going already! As you go through this period of restlessness, here’s some words of advice from your OCs to keep in mind before you arrive…

OC Malik

Wait until you get to your dorm to really make it your own - you need to see how it is, you can’t assume it’s something that it’s not. Make sure to keep in mind that the dorm is the one place on campus that’s fully yours, and it’s yours to do with as you please. Whatever makes you comfortable. At the end of the day, you’re not living in the library, you’re not living in the classroom, you’re living in the dorm. For the next month just enjoy it - don’t stress about everything you need to do before you get here, just enjoy it. We’ll prepare you during NSO!

OC Jack

During this period of waiting, it’s really important to know that everybody is coming to Stanford at the same time and going through the same transition. That also applies for when you arrive on campus - you’re not alone, and there are many great resources and supports that can help you navigate the transition. Everyone’s experience settling into Stanford looks different, so take it in your own time!

OC Sophia

Enjoy time with friends and family! Don’t stress too much about the upcoming year - just enjoy the here and now. And, once you’re on campus, don’t worry about how long it’s taking you to settle in. Whether it takes a quarter or a year, I’m confident you’ll discover your footing and soon enough find yourself calling Stanford a home.

OC Malaika

Don’t feel like you have to find your place at Stanford right away. Everyone has their own journey. Some folks are going to find their people and their community faster than others, but that doesn’t mean you’re behind. Everyone transitions at their own pace. Also talk to people! Chances are you’re not the only one feeling the emotions you are. And definitely stay connected with home - sometimes it’s easy to only focus on the people at Stanford, but remember those connections to home and where you’re from. Check back in, don’t get lost in the Stanford bubble!

OC Bryan

I’ll keep this short and sweet, but this is an important lesson/piece of advice: stay true to yourself as you go through your first year!

Concluding Thoughts & Wrapping Up

To wrap this all up, we’re super excited for you all to come to campus (if you’re not here already for Summer Bridge) and start your Stanford journey! This next month or so will be a lot of waiting since there’s not much you can be certain of and do before you come to campus, but we hope this outlines some things you can start to plan for and prepare so that you can feel confident heading into the year and making sure you’re all ready. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we can’t wait to see you on campus for NSO very soon!!

Welcome to NSO!!!

By OC Canon

As I write this, there are only 13 more days to go until NSO begins and we see all of you on campus! We are so excited to spend an incredible week with you all as you begin what is sure to be an unforgettable Stanford journey. However, this means that with the big week in sight, it’s time to say goodbye to the blog (I’m not crying, you are) - it’s been such an incredible time collaborating with such a special team to bring you this content, and now it’s time to introduce you to some of the folks who have been/will be behind the scenes during your New Student Orientation!

What is NSO?

But before we get into that, let’s take a deeper dive into what exactly New Student Orientation is. Many of you asked this either in our Coffee Chats or OC Takeovers, so here’s the answer you’ve been waiting for…

New Student Orientation is a fun and energy-filled experience that will span from Tuesday, September 16th to Sunday, September 21st and feature introductions to faculty, student groups, your dorm staff, and your peers.

Excited Orientation Volunteers & Staff welcoming new students

What to Expect When You Get Here

On that first day, you’ll be moving in throughout the day - you can arrive any time between 8 am to 5 pm to pick up your key and move in! Please check out our new article “A New Student’s Guide to Moving In” for more information on where to pick up your key and get ready to enter your new space.

Throughout that day, you’ll also have the opportunity to mingle with other families and some Stanford faculty at our new NSO Moo-ve In Mingle in White Plaza before heading off to our Convocation ceremony. Convocation will be your official welcome to Stanford and one of the first instances in which you’ll get to showcase your dorm pride as you walk to Frost Amphitheater with your new dorm mates.

A preview of the big official welcome - Convocation!

General NSO Overview and Advice

I won’t go over every single day of NSO in detail since all of the events are on the schedule here, but you’ll notice that there are some required events (these will differ based on whether you’re a frosh or a transfer student) and others that might be happening at overlapping times. The ones that are marked “required” are where you’ll arrive with your dorm, but all of the others are a choose-your-own-adventure!

You can pick and choose which events you’d like to attend based on your interests. For example, if you’re interested in the performing arts, you might want to check out the various dance or vocal workshops and performances happening across the Friday and Saturday of NSO. While you prepare for your enrollment at 4:15 (if you’re a frosh) on Wednesday of NSO, you might want to attend a specific academic planning session or department open house that day.

Other than the required events, this week is yours to make your own! Our advice to you is to have fun, try new things, explore, get lots of sleep, and stay hydrated! You’ll be doing a lot of travelling around campus, and as you do so we encourage you to take in your new environment and meet new people! This is such a special time in your journey at Stanford, and the more you adventure throughout NSO the more fun you’ll have.

You'll experience so much Stanford spirit and fun during NSO!

And if you have questions about any events (where to go, things to see, etc.) there will be sooo many folks in red shirts ready to answer your questions! Let’s introduce you to some of them now…

Who You’ll Meet During NSO

Here’s a quick introduction to your complete NSO team and the wonderful individuals who will be a huge part of making your NSO special. If you see anyone wearing a red T-Shirt with the NSO logo on it and a nametag with a name you recognize from this list, feel free to introduce yourself and say hi!!

NSO/First-Year Experience Professional Staff

Your NSO professional staff are a team of incredibly dedicated individuals who work year-round on programs and projects to help make your first year at Stanford special! They have been active behind the scenes all summer to help organize NSO week and will be a tremendous part of shaping your introduction to the university. Make sure to say hi if you see any of the professional staff around and know that they are there to support and give you a warm welcome to Stanford!

Your Orientation Coordinators (OCs!)

I’ll keep this brief because we’ve been bombarding you with content all summer and you’ve heard a lot from us, but we’re your Orientation Coordinators. We’ve been working with the professional staff to plan NSO and welcome you to Stanford, and we can’t wait to see you around on campus!

Your NSO Student Leaders

Throughout the various events and programs during NSO, you’ll also get to meet your incredible teams of student leaders who are working to put together incredible programming for you all! Here’s a very brief introduction to some of the main groups you’ll meet:

Students Working With Centers for Equity, Community, & Leadership

This extraordinary group of students has also been working incredibly hard to set up your welcomes to the various community centers on campus! Anybody is welcome to attend these events throughout the Friday and Saturday of NSO - you won’t want to miss the lively atmosphere that these folks have been cultivating!

Beyond Sex Ed Team

During NSO, one of the trademark events is Beyond Sex Ed: Intimacy and Relationships. This event will explore themes of empathy, empowerment, and connection - from students to students! Meet the student team that has been working behind the scenes to coordinate this event for you all! Keep an eye out for them at Beyond Sex Ed!

Faces of Community Team

Another trademark event during NSO is Faces of Community, where you’ll get to hear student experiences and learn about the ways in which they each overcame different obstacles and challenges during their time at Stanford. This empowering program is a favorite among students and also features performances by groups like the Mariachi Band and Stanford Taiko! Give it up for your Faces of Community Student Producers!

Orientation Volunteers

And last but certainly not least, let’s give a huge round of applause to your Orientation Volunteers! Affectionately referred to as OVs, these students have volunteered their time to help out at events throughout NSO - including move-in day! You’ll see them around sporting red OV t-shirts, handing out swag, and ushering crowds into events. Feel free to say hi and ask them questions when you see them!

Photo of the 2024 Orientation Volunteers

Wrapping Up

Well, that’s a wrap on the blog for the summer of 2025! It’s been incredible getting to share this time with you all and be a part of welcoming you to Stanford! We’ll miss you here - but not for too long! See you all in T-minus 11 days for the start of New Student Orientation!! Congratulations - your time is at last about to arrive!! 🙂

Soooo soo so much love from your NSO team!!!

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