CalConnect-ed

I really had a great time meeting the soon-to-be freshmen at both Sactown and Fresno. I was so excited that they were starting the next 4 years of their life at Cal, bringing me back to my undergrad days. I got this funny question that just shows how much times are changing. One girl asked me, “why is the signup system called TELE-bears?” I explained to her that back in the stone age, we had to call in on the phone to signup for our classes. During Calso, we all spend time in the dorm hallway, each curled over a thick schedule of classes (paperback) trying to press in our SID without being logged out. Oh, the good ole days.

One thing I noticed right away at both places.. It was HOT!! You guys are going to love bay area weather, with crisp mornings and sunny afternoons. Bring a jacket. Especially in the morning, it can get chilly with a serious overcast but it burns off by lunch time.

I answered a bunch of questions about what school life is like, Berkeley area, and how to get into classes. I explained that there was no attendance or hw (for some classes) but that a midterm and a final could determine your entire semester grade! One girl asked me about self paced classes and another on how to audit classes. I did the usual introductions to the best places to eat, sleep on campus and where to get “strong” coffee. Used books and book buy back were popular questions too. So the three (not so evident) items I recommended bringing to the dorms were; a HandVac, a doorstop and flipflips for shower. Yes, the third is definitely necessary!

We’re going to have a CalConnect Reunion on Monday of Welcome Week at 2440 Dana (corner of Dana and Haste), 7pm to get all the CalConnect peeps in touch again. It will be cool to see other people form your area and from other CalConnect groups too. Oh, you could also possibly talk about carpooling back home together during breaks and/or weekends. Save gas.

So hopefully you’re all packed and enjoying the last bit of summer before you hit the books. We’re all excited for your time at Cal. See you on Monday!

Fresno and Sactown Reunions

Hey! Kairos 4 is partnering with the California Alumni Association to host “Cal Connect” in some of our home towns. We’ll be hitting Sactown on Thursday the 14th and Fresno on Sunday the 17th.

“So, what is Cal Connect?”
Its an opportunity for Cal alumni to host an informal time to welcome incoming frosh and tell them what “real” life is like at Cal! All of us went to Cal (GO BEARS!) for undergrad and some of us also for grad school. We’ll give you tips on which courses we liked best, best places to study and of course, best places to eat. We know its both an exciting and anxious time and we want to go back to our high school stomping grounds help answer any questions and assist with your transition.

“What do I do at Cal Connect?”
Its no cost. Grab a latte (I recommend the vanilla) from Starbucks and just sit down to talk. Come by yourself or with your family. Come when you can and leave when you need to. Simple.

What is actually going to fit into my dorm?
What are the “weeder” classes?
How do I get around campus?
Should I get a bike?
Should I take Math 1A even if I took Calc in high school?
Where do I find the best and/or cheapest coffee?

“How do I sign up?”
Follow these links for more info about the exact locations and times.

http://www.kairosfellowship.org/kairos4/cal-connect-2008-sacramento-rsvp
http://www.kairosfellowship.org/kairos4/cal-connect-2008-central-cal-rsvp

See you there!