It was a busy Orientation Week for incoming first-year students at NYU Shanghai as they learned to navigate campus and explore Shanghai. The newest Qilins followed the lead of a group of 41 Orientation Ambassadors and 32 Residents Assistants who guided them through NYU Shanghai’s many resources.
“When I see these new faces, I always think of myself three years ago,” said Orientation Ambassador Shuang Hanzhi ’27. “It makes me want to do my small part to help them have a wonderful beginning here, just like I did back then.”
Shelly Lu, director of NYU Shanghai’s Center of New Student Programs, said the purpose of Orientation Week is to integrate new students into NYU Shanghai’s unique culture and provide support at a crucial transition point in their lives.
“Each day is full of activities to help students feel at home and adjust to their new lives as university students,” she said. “It’s all about having fun, making friends, and learning about what NYU Shanghai has to offer.”
The week kicked off at the official University Welcome as the new students assembled together for the first time as members of the Class of 2030. Chancellor Tong Shijun, Vice Chancellor Jeffrey Lehman, Provost Bei Wu, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students David Pe, and Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs Ted Magder offered advice to the Class of 2030 while Orientation Ambassadors showed off their choreography skills with rousing dance routines.
From then on, every minute was packed as students learned the ins and outs of NYU Shanghai. They ran around finding clues as part of a campus scavenger hunt, got to know their floor mates, learned how to set up their phones, and explored new cuisines together.
Perhaps the most memorable part of the week for many first-year students was the annual Fun Olympics, an NYU Shanghai tradition that pits students against each other in a series of challenges, each sillier than the last. This year, inflatable aliens and dinosaurs added a new level of hilarity to the competition.
Li Zhiyi ’30, a first year student from Beijing, said that the games weren’t just physically challenging but also required close teamwork. “As someone who had just stepped onto campus, I quickly felt a strong sense of belonging,” she said. “This experience helped me relax and make new friends in a really easy, enjoyable way.”
The week's activities also introduced first-year students to the wide range of facilities, resources, and support available on campus. They met with academic advisors and student government leaders, learned about library resources, and attended a department fair to learn more about the variety of majors NYU Shanghai offers.
Early in the week, they gathered in the auditorium to hear Vice Chancellor Jeff Lehman lead their first session of Global Perspectives on Society, a mandatory class for first-year students that is part of NYU Shanghai's core curriculum.
Later in the week, all first-year students attended a discussion on respecting others, consent, healthy relationships, and sexual misconduct. Led by students and administrators, they learned about community standards and Title IX, essential for maintaining a safe and respectful campus environment.
“This is one of the foundational steps in establishing a safety baseline and fostering an inclusive and respectful campus culture,” said Associate Dean of Students Judy Li.
First Year Dialogue sessions, another core part of the week, invited first-year students to connect on a deeper level. “It made me realize how quickly our differences could fade away,” said Chen Xingru ’30 from Anhui Province. “We may come from different places and have completely different life experiences, but we can still find something of ourselves in each other’s stories.”
Kamila Khaltayeva ’30, who grew up in the US, Russia, and Spain, said that she appreciated all the support from students on campus. “Rather than making new students dive right into college life, this has reduced the amount of stress that first years could potentially experience,” she said.
For Kaden Desir ’30 from New Jersey in the US, the moment he felt he belonged was at the NYU Shanghai’s Got Talent show, where first-year students showed off a wide diversity of talents to their classmates. “It helped me face the fear of performance, and I became more recognized by the first-year community, which made it easier to meet more people,” he said.
From evening socials and a Qilin Night Run along the nearby Huangpu River to tours of the city and community service projects, every moment of Orientation Week allowed the newest Qilins to find their place.
Iunia Despa ’30, from Berlin, Germany said the week’s activities put her at ease. “Arriving in Shanghai and having to be independent all of a sudden made me feel anxious at first,” she said. “However, the people I met during Orientation Week have already made my stay here feel more like home.”