In 2016, the Faculty of Engineering launched a program, led by the Academic Student Coordination Unit (ASCU), that connects incoming engineering students with volunteer upperclass students through contact groups. The volunteers welcome the newcomers, help them settle in at Bilkent and answer their questions.
This year the tradition continued. The groups were formed as soon as university placement results were announced, and conversations were well under way before the groups met face to face on campus last week. Some of the volunteers and newcomers shared their impressions of the event:
Zeynep Yalçın (CS/Prep): “After getting accepted into the computer engineering program I was really curious about what lay ahead. What were my peers like? Which fields had the upperclassmen pursued? And most importantly, what was the most useful advice they could offer? After meeting my fellow students and hearing about their experiences, we devoured our pizza and desserts while finding answers to all those questions. A huge thank you to Bilkent and the upperclassmen for organizing this wonderful gathering.”
Lazare Garibashvili (EE/I): “Today’s meeting was very well organized and engaging. I was able to meet lots of people, and the organization was very well handled. Thanks a lot for this event, and I’m looking forward to more in the future!”
Barış Kaan Uğurlu (ME/II): “Thanks to Bilkent, we were able to have a great time with our new Bilkenters. We filled our stomachs with pizza, desserts, tea, and lots of joy and happiness. I can’t wait for next year to attend this gathering again!”
Melis Onur (EE/III): “Thanks to the pizza picnic organized by ASCU, we met with our newcomer friends and had the opportunity to answer their questions. We had a lovely chat and got to know each other. We hope for a good academic year full of support, and wish a happy university life to all of our newcomer friends.”
Meryem Şeker (CS/III): “It was a lovely opportunity to meet the new students and spend some time together outside of classes. As a third-year Computer Science student, I enjoyed sharing my experiences and giving a few tips about the department and university life. It was also nice to hear about their first impressions and answer some of their questions. The friendly atmosphere, along with the pizza and desserts, made the event even more enjoyable and memorable.”
Berat Yiğit Yeşilyurt (IE/IV): “Walking into the picnic, I didn’t expect to feel so much like a freshman again. The eager smiles, the endless questions, the excitement of a fresh start brought back exactly how it felt to begin at Bilkent. This time, though, I got to be on the other side, sharing the advice I once wished someone had given me. Watching new friendships form over pizza on that lawn reminded me that the most valuable things here are often learned outside the classroom. If they leave with even one friend and one person they can call when things get hard, then the day was well spent.”
