Students recall CTOPS as fun

Summer’s coming up, and that means ... more freshmen.

Summer school students on their way to class will once again be weaving through confused looking new students wearing lanyards and standing around in the Pit.

The incoming Class of 2014 is required to visit UNC in two-day waves to get a taste of campus during the Carolina Testing and Orientation Program Sessions. Their parents are invited, too.

Junior Caroline Howell remembered her orientation as a fun chance to meet new students.

“I got to meet a lot of people outside my major who I might not other see otherwise,” she said.

“I still see them on campus and we say hey to each other.”

Katelyn DeBerardinis, also a junior, echoed this sentiment.

“My favorite thing was definitely meeting all the new people,” she said. “Being on campus and seeing all the other new students made me excited to come to UNC.”

The new students’ CTOPS will be similar to past years: learning about life in the UNC community, being led around by older Orientation Leaders and stressing out over the advising guide and class list on the night before registration.

One change for the class will be the new ConnectCarolina registration system, which current students begin using this week.

Junior Gina Mottesi remembered her orientation leader Thomas Byrd coming up with fun ways to get to know each other.

In one icebreaker, he called the CTOPS members at random (while they were sitting in a circle) to make their cell phone ring.

“He said you can find out a lot about someone by their ring tone,” Mottesi said.

DeBerardinis said that as an out-of-state student, she could tell a difference between her experience and others’.

“I didn’t feel intimidated, but I was definitely very aware of the people who knew each other — and I didn’t know anyone.”

CTOPS will run this summer from June 3 through July 30, with breaks for the Fourth of July. There will be a later CTOPS program Aug. 19 through Aug. 20 for international students and students with exceptional circumstances.

“Overall, I thought it is a really good way for new students to ease into college life,” Mottesi said.

“It helps them realize that in college, you will be surrounded by new people constantly,” she said.



Senior writer Rebecca Brenner contributed reporting.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.