Though cold winter winds sweep across the campus, the hearts of new students burn with anticipation for their university life ahead. The thrill of stepping into a new environment comes with both excitement and uncertainty, as adapting to unfamiliar campus life can feel overwhelming. To support these freshmen, Seoul National University annually hosts the “Freshmen Orientation,” which warmly welcomes its newcomers to embark on their academic journey.
Freshmen and mentors taking a photo in front of the Freshmen Orientation installation
In 2025, Freshmen Orientation is held on February 3 (Monday), February 6 (Thursday), February 11 (Tuesday), and February 13 (Thursday) across four sessions, with 750 participants per session, totaling 3,000 new students.
The First Step Toward University Life
The inaugural session on February 3 began with an introductory video about SNU, followed by a warm welcome speech from President Hong Lim Ryu. He encouraged the freshmen by saying, "I hope your time at SNU becomes the foundation for your growth and future endeavors." Various essential information was provided, including an overview of the SNU College, the Living & Learning (LnL) program, and course registration. Notably, the introduction to the SNU College, which aims to nurture creative and multidisciplinary talents, garnered particular attention.
President Hong Lim Ryu delivering the welcome speech
The Center for Campus Life & Culture and the Human Rights Center also offered guidance on psychological counseling services and rights awareness programs for freshmen. Information about counseling programs for resolving grievances and psychological assessment services highlighted the university's commitment to fostering a safe and healthy school environment.
Freshmen listening to a lecture
During breaks, videos introducing campus facilities and congratulatory messages from senior students were played, heightening the excitement of the freshmen. A special highlight this year was a guest lecture by alumnus Taejun Jang, now working at Google, which received an enthusiastic response. The freshmen actively engaged with questions, gaining practical advice, while the speaker's thoughtful answers left a lasting impression.
Taejun Jang (Class of 2022, College of Engineering) delivering a lecture during the mentoring session
Building Campus Life Together
The core of Freshmen Orientation lies in fostering communication between new students and their peers or seniors, helping them resolve questions about university life while building meaningful connections. To achieve this, the afternoon sessions featured mentoring programs and team-building activities.
During the mentoring sessions, seniors from various departments gathered with freshmen to share practical advice about university life and discuss concerns related to academics and career paths. Following this, the team-building program led participants across the campus, where they completed missions and explored key landmarks together, naturally forming bonds. One particularly memorable mission, "Taking a Group Photo at the Main Gate," created unforgettable moments for the freshmen.
The event concluded with vibrant performances by student clubs and an awards ceremony for the top-performing teams from the team-building activities, providing a grand finale to the program.
Freshmen Orientation marks the beginning of university life. Through this one-day experience, the freshmen left with heightened excitement about university life, wrapping up Freshmen Orientation with great anticipation for the full-fledged campus journey ahead.