Orientation Week in Koc University
Hi everyone,
First of all, I congratulate you for your acceptance to our university. It is a pleasure for us to welcome you one of the best universities in Turkey. You may wonder what we doing in orientation week. Before getting started, I need to inform you that the orientation week is quite important for us and your familiarity to university. So, please do not forget to book the flight ticket accordingly.
The orientation week at Koç is probably the most important part of the exchange. It is the time when the incomer exchange students get to know each other, their mentors, Koç and İstanbul. Orientation starts by the incomer students meeting their mentors and having breakfast on campus with them. After meeting their mentor, now it is time to meet the other exchange students! Incomers get to know each other with warm-up games and have lots of fun meanwhile. Afterwards, mentors introduce them the campus with a tour and then it is time for seminars. They are given a small introduction to the life and culture in İstanbul by the OIP Incoming team. In the evening, more is exchanged over a beer in the pub next to the dorms. The second day starts with Turkish breakfast next to Bosphorus and continues with course enrollments with the help of the mentors and our KUSIS help team. On the third day, incomers are introduced to the Turkish language by our survival Turkish lesson where they learn the basic Turkish words and sentenced these would need in the daily life in İstanbul. Afterwards, they are introduced to Sarıyer, the closest neighborhood to Koç and there they purchase sim cards. Then, they are introduced to departments of Koç by seminars and they learn about the details of the residence permit application process followed by an event in İstanbul which changes each semester (Bosphorus tour, İstiklal-Karaköy tour, Old Town tour, Escapist game etc.). The next day continues with student club day, on the Henry Ford grasses. On this day, newcomers get the chance to sign up for 80+ student clubs where they can make local friends and be a part of a community, such as the Volunteers Club, Rugby Club, Football Club, Orchestra Club, Musica Club etc.
Additionally, Exchange students are introduced to the nightlife in İstanbul with a pubcrawl by their mentors. They also get to know the Turkish Rakı tradition by a Rakı-Balık night.
İrem Bilir
