fixed#fixed" data-fixed-isfixed-value="false"> Academics Research Campus Life Admissions & Aid About ACCESS Apply GIVE JP EN For Others, With Others shortcut-nav#toggleOpen"> JP EN ACCESS APPLY GIVE Articles Features Sophia Chronicle since 1913 New Student Welcome Event to Remember: Orientation Camp 2023.05.19 copyurl#copy"> bookmark#toggle keyup.enter->bookmark#toggle onBookmarkItemUpdate@window->bookmark#handleUpdate"> It has been a month since the new academic year began, and the campus is now filled with the voices of students. How will the new Sophians start their campus life and spend their days? This article delves into the history of Sophia University’s new academic year, specifically the residential Orientation Camp (AKA Ori Camp) that was previously organized for incoming students. What is an Orientation Camp? Sophia University organizes various events to welcome new students during the week after the enrolment ceremony. For over 50 years, from 1966 to 2019, a two-day and one-night Orientation Camp was organized as part of the program for new students, current students, and faculty. The camp aimed to assist new students in adjusting to student life and was considered the foundation for imparting educational values to new students and supporting them. The event included not only new students and faculty members but also senior department students, who acted as &＃8220;helpers.&＃8221; New students had the opportunity to learn about university life, educational philosophy, departments and classes, course registration, and extracurricular activities through various activities such as self-introductions, discussions with helpers and faculty, games, and more. These activities also allowed them to build friendships with their fellow students. Sophia’s educational spirit of &＃8220;For Others, With Others&＃8221; was embodied in the Orientation Camp. It allowed new students to connect with their classmates, senior students, faculty, and staff. The senior students could apply their knowledge to assist the new students. The first Orientation Camp! In April 1966, the Student Life Division of the Student Affairs Department and the Freshman Week Executive Committee organized the first Orientation Camp for 1,713 new students in Hakone (*1). The event was carefully prepared by faculty, staff, and current students. Each department had a staggered schedule from the 5th to the 8th of that month. The activities included self-introductions during bus transit, recreation on arrival at the accommodation, lectures by the president and dean of each faculty and department, viewing of the movie &＃8220;50 Years of Sophia University,&＃8221; and class-specific meetings (*2), as stated in the report at that time. Photographs from that time show the intimacy between students and faculty members. According to a survey of new students conducted by the Freshman Week Executive Committee, the event was successful, with a significant number of positive comments such as &＃8220;this event should continue the following year.&＃8221;(*3) Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the first event, and in response to the trend of mutual distrust between students and schools brought about by the &＃8220;Mammothization&＃8221; of Japanese universities, the paper noted that &＃8220;Sophia University&＃8217;s attempt to create a family-like bond is to be commended&＃8221; (*4). During the late 1960s, the Orientation Camp gained attention both on and off campus due to the growing student movement and increasing number of students. New students on their way to Lake Ashi, Hakone (April 1966, 1st Orientation Camp)* Professor William Everett chatting with new students (April 1966, Department of English Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies 1st Orientation Camp)* Freshman Week Executive Committee students performing before new students (April 1966, 1st Orientation Camp)* The future of orientation Over the years, people had differing views on the Orientation Camp, but it had consistently been a success, particularly with the growth in departments and attendees. Unfortunately, the 2020 event was canceled due to COVID-19. Instead, departments offered helpful information to new students through online resources and held virtual meetings on ZOOM. After reviewing the on-campus events, it was decided to discontinue the Orientation Camp and replace it with an Orientation Day (*5) starting in 2023. During Orientation Day, every department engaged in diverse projects with the assistance of teachers and current student helpers. Freshers mentioned that they made new friends, felt more inspired to learn, acquired more knowledge, and had experiences that were impossible in high school. The tradition of welcoming new students at Sophia is still alive and kicking since the days of Orientation Camp. Helpers are available to assist new students in making their transition to university life smoother, just as in the Orientation Camp. They are involved in everything from planning and managing the event to facilitating the day&＃8217;s activities, and they bring new students and the university/department closer together. (Please visit the respective department websites for more information on the day&＃8217;s activities.) How will the orientation scene be affected as social conditions and student mentality evolve? We would love everyone reading this article to keep an eye on it. New students attentively listening to a teacher (April 3, 2023, Department of History, Faculty of Humanities 2023 Orientation Day). Photo by KEIGADO. A quiz-style event at Bldg. No.10! The ever-popular Sophia jerseys, a.k.a. Sojer., are on the screen (April 3, 2023, 2023 Orientation Day). Photo by KEIGADO. Campus tour by current students (April 3, 2023, 2023 Orientation Day). Photo by KEIGADO. (1) 1966 New Student Orientation Camp Report, page 2. According to the report, Tsuneo Arai, who was the Director of the Student Life Division at the time, expressed in an article titled &＃8220;On Holding the Orientation Camp for New Students&＃8221; (page 1) that the goal of the event was to revive the distinctive ambiance of the pre-war camps at Sophia University of bringing together new students, current students, faculty members, and staff. (2) 1966 New Student Orientation Camp Report, pages 14 and 16.(3) Camp Report (Sophia Times, No. 180, page 2, dated April 15, 1966). According to &＃8220;Training Camps Popular with New Students, Recruiting Students to Run&＃8221; and &＃8220;Freshman Week Closes Unusually Lonely Campus,&＃8221; on the same page, some students were puzzled by the small number of new students on campus during Freshman Week. (4) &＃8220;Professors and New Students Connect Through Comedy&＃8221; (Yomiuri Shimbun, evening edition, April 9, 1966, page 3, Yomiuri Database Service, accessed April 19, 2023).(*5) As of 2023, except for a few departments, the program is held in a one- or two-day format. Photos marked with an asterisk (*) are in the collection of the Sofia Archives. copyurl#copy"> bookmark#toggle keyup.enter->bookmark#toggle onBookmarkItemUpdate@window->bookmark#handleUpdate"> View full article list Related Contents Sophia Chronicle since 1913 bookmark#toggle keyup.enter->bookmark#toggle onBookmarkItemUpdate@window->bookmark#handleUpdate"> Loving Hands for Indochina Refugees －For Others, With Others－ 2023.09.29 Read Sophia Chronicle since 1913 bookmark#toggle keyup.enter->bookmark#toggle onBookmarkItemUpdate@window->bookmark#handleUpdate"> Sophia University’s Roots—Together with Francis Xavier’s Dreams and Aspirations 2023.04.27 Read Sophia Chronicle since 1913 bookmark#toggle keyup.enter->bookmark#toggle onBookmarkItemUpdate@window->bookmark#handleUpdate"> Jesuit priests were key to the university&＃8217;s post-war rebuilding 2023.07.28 Read Sophia Chronicle since 1913 bookmark#toggle keyup.enter->bookmark#toggle onBookmarkItemUpdate@window->bookmark#handleUpdate"> Remembering the founding spirit of Sophia University through Xavier Week 2022.12.19 Read Sophia Chronicle since 1913 bookmark#toggle keyup.enter->bookmark#toggle onBookmarkItemUpdate@window->bookmark#handleUpdate"> Everlasting affection towards university by Hermann Hoffman, 110 years after its founding 2022.12.19 Read Sophia Chronicle since 1913 bookmark#toggle keyup.enter->bookmark#toggle onBookmarkItemUpdate@window->bookmark#handleUpdate"> Television studio on campus for over 55 years. 2023.03.06 Read HOME Articles Features Sophia Chronicle since 1913 New Student Welcome Event to Remember: Orientation Camp Sophia University For Others, With Others Official Social Media Academics accordion#toggle" > Undergraduate Programs accordion#toggle" > Faculty of Theology Faculty of Humanities Faculty of Human Sciences Faculty of Law Faculty of Economics Faculty of Foreign Studies Faculty of Global Studies Faculty of Liberal Arts Faculty of Science and Technology SPSF: Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures University-wide General Education accordion#toggle" > Studies in Christian Humanism Embodied Wisdom The Art of Thinking and Expression Data Science Language Education Global Education at Sophia University accordion#toggle" > Learning at Sophia University Learning Abroad Learning Support Graduate Programs accordion#toggle" > Graduate School of Theology Graduate School of Humanities Graduate School of Applied Religious Studies Graduate School of Human Sciences Graduate School of Law Graduate School of Economics Graduate School of Languages and Linguistics Graduate School of Global Studies Graduate School of Science and Technology Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies Graduate Degree Program of Applied Data Sciences Course of Midwifery Lifelong Learning Research accordion#toggle" > Sophia University Research Initiatives accordion#toggle" > Sophia Open Research Weeks (SORW) Research Institutes Industry-Government-Academia Collaboration Intellectual Property Sophia University’s Research Promotion System accordion#toggle" > Research on Priority Areas and Research on Optional Subjects Regulations Governing Research Activities and Use of Research Funds Campus Life accordion#toggle" > Semester Classification and Class Schedule Extracurricular Activities Volunteer Activities Global Learning Community Student Counseling Services accordion#toggle" > Mental and Physical Health Consultation Harassment Prevention Measures Support for Students with Disabilities Career Development Support accordion#toggle" > Career Design Program Career support for students with Study Abroad experience / Global Careers Statistics Relating to Post-graduation Employment (Provisional Acceptance), Graduate Outcomes, etc. Guidance for Corporate Recruiters Guidance for Graduates Housing Support Facilities Available on and off Campus accordion#toggle" > Facilities available at the Yotsuya Campus Other Facilities Admissions & Aid accordion#toggle" > Sophia University Admissions Policy Degrees offered by Sophia University Non-Matriculated Student Research Student, Foreign Special Research Student, and MEXT Scholarship Student Exchange Student from an Overseas University Non-Degree Student Sophia Short-term Program Student Tuition and Scholarships accordion#toggle" > Tuition Scholarships to Apply for Before Entering Undergraduate Programs Scholarships for Undergraduate Students New National Financial Support Program for Receiving Higher Education Scholarships for Graduate School Students Expenses and Scholarships for Studying Abroad Financial Support for Those with Abrupt Changes in Family Economic Circumstances and for Victims of Disasters About accordion#toggle" > Message from the President The Spirit of Sophia University accordion#toggle" > Philosophy of Sophia University History of Sophia University Sophia Archives Sophia as a Catholic University Global Engagement accordion#toggle" > Visits from Global Intellectuals Global Campus United Nation Weeks &＃038; Africa Weeks SDGs & Sustainability Initiatives Initiatives to Promote Diversity Sophia School Corporation Facts & Figures Sophia University&＃8217;s Network accordion#toggle" > Network with Alumni Network with Parents and Guarantors Networking with the Community Domestic & International Networks Sophia University&＃8217;s Publications accordion#toggle" > University Brochure/ Graduate School Brochure SOPHIA magazine Sophia University Press Sophia University&＃8217;s Visual Identity and School Anthem accordion#toggle" > Sophia University Visual Identity Official Character “Sophian-kun” Virtual Backgrounds School Anthem / Student Song Media Relations and Filming/Photograpy on Campus Sophia University Campus and Overseas Offices accordion#toggle" > Campus Overseas Offices Support from the SOPHIA Fund for the Future Teaching Collaboration Initiatives Privacy Policy For Prospective Students For Guarantors For Current Students, Faculty and Staff For Alumni For General Public For Corporate Partners, Press and Media Official Social Media Sophia School Corporation Sophia University Sophia University Junior College Division Eiko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Rokko Junior and Senior High School Hiroshima Gakuin Junior and Senior High School Sophia Fukuoka Junior and Senior High School Contact Us Site Map Website Policy Employment For Others, With Others © Sophia University. All Rights Reserved. Page top drawer#toggle" data-drawer-target="trigger" data-drawer-trigger-param="search" > drawer#toggle" data-drawer-target="trigger" data-drawer-trigger-param="menu" > ACCESS Apply GIVE JP EN For Others, With Others ACCESS JP EN Apply GIVE Academics accordion#toggle" > Undergraduate Programs accordion#toggle" > Faculty of Theology Faculty of Humanities Faculty of Human Sciences Faculty of Law Faculty of Economics Faculty of Foreign Studies Faculty of Global Studies Faculty of Liberal Arts Faculty of Science and Technology SPSF: Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures University-wide General Education accordion#toggle" > Studies in Christian Humanism Embodied Wisdom The Art of Thinking and Expression Data Science Language Education Global Education at Sophia University accordion#toggle" > Learning at Sophia University Learning Abroad Learning Support Graduate Programs accordion#toggle" > Graduate School of Theology Graduate School of Humanities Graduate School of Applied Religious Studies Graduate School of Human Sciences Graduate School of Law Graduate School of Economics Graduate School of Languages and Linguistics Graduate School of Global Studies Graduate School of Science and Technology Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies Graduate Degree Program of Applied Data Sciences Course of Midwifery Lifelong Learning Research accordion#toggle" > Sophia University Research Initiatives accordion#toggle" > Sophia Open Research Weeks (SORW) Research Institutes Industry-Government-Academia Collaboration Intellectual Property Sophia University’s Research Promotion System accordion#toggle" > Research on Priority Areas and Research on Optional Subjects Regulations Governing Research Activities and Use of Research Funds Campus Life accordion#toggle" > Semester Classification and Class Schedule Extracurricular Activities Volunteer Activities Global Learning Community Student Counseling Services accordion#toggle" > Mental and Physical Health Consultation Harassment Prevention Measures Support for Students with Disabilities Career Development Support accordion#toggle" > Career Design Program Career support for students with Study Abroad experience / Global Careers Statistics Relating to Post-graduation Employment (Provisional Acceptance), Graduate Outcomes, etc. Guidance for Corporate Recruiters Guidance for Graduates Housing Support Facilities Available on and off Campus accordion#toggle" > Facilities available at the Yotsuya Campus Other Facilities Admissions & Aid accordion#toggle" > Sophia University Admissions Policy Degrees offered by Sophia University Non-Matriculated Student Research Student, Foreign Special Research Student, and MEXT Scholarship Student Exchange Student from an Overseas University Non-Degree Student Sophia Short-term Program Student Tuition and Scholarships accordion#toggle" > Tuition Scholarships to Apply for Before Entering Undergraduate Programs Scholarships for Undergraduate Students New National Financial Support Program for Receiving Higher Education Scholarships for Graduate School Students Expenses and Scholarships for Studying Abroad Financial Support for Those with Abrupt Changes in Family Economic Circumstances and for Victims of Disasters About accordion#toggle" > Message from the President The Spirit of Sophia University accordion#toggle" > Philosophy of Sophia University History of Sophia University Sophia Archives Sophia as a Catholic University Global Engagement accordion#toggle" > Visits from Global Intellectuals Global Campus United Nation Weeks &＃038; Africa Weeks SDGs & Sustainability Initiatives Initiatives to Promote Diversity Sophia School Corporation Facts & Figures Sophia University&＃8217;s Network accordion#toggle" > Network with Alumni Network with Parents and Guarantors Networking with the Community Domestic & International Networks Sophia University&＃8217;s Publications accordion#toggle" > University Brochure/ Graduate School Brochure SOPHIA magazine Sophia University Press Sophia University&＃8217;s Visual Identity and School Anthem accordion#toggle" > Sophia University Visual Identity Official Character “Sophian-kun” Virtual Backgrounds School Anthem / Student Song Media Relations and Filming/Photograpy on Campus Sophia University Campus and Overseas Offices accordion#toggle" > Campus Overseas Offices Support from the SOPHIA Fund for the Future Teaching Collaboration Initiatives Privacy Policy Official Social Media Frequently Viewed Pages Sophia University Campus and Overseas Offices Facts & Figures The Spirit of Sophia University English-taught Programs For Prospective Students For Guarantors For Current Students, Faculty and Staff For Alumni For General Public For Corporate Partners, Press and Media Sophia School Corporation Sophia University Sophia University Junior College Division Eiko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Rokko Junior and Senior High School Hiroshima Gakuin Junior and Senior High School Sophia Fukuoka Junior and Senior High School Contact Us Site Map Website Policy Employment © Sophia University. All Rights Reserved. ACCESS Apply GIVE JP EN For Others, With Others Frequently Searched Keywords Faculty Scholarship Open Campuses Study Abroad Programs Extracurricular Activities We use COOKIEs on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the COOKIEs. However, you may visit "COOKIE Settings" to provide a controlled consent. View COOKIE policy COOKIE Settings Accept All Manage consent Close Privacy Overview This website uses COOKIEs to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the COOKIEs that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party COOKIEs that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These COOKIEs will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these COOKIEs. But opting out of some of these COOKIEs may affect your browsing experience. Analytics Analytics Analytical COOKIEs are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These COOKIEs help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. SAVE & ACCEPT