To boost class cohesion and mutual trust, cultivate freshmen’s sense of belonging to their new classes, assist freshmen in adapting to campus life and integrating into the school community, the School of Life Sciences hosted five class-based group counseling sessions for freshmen on the afternoon of October 25, the afternoon of October 27 and the morning of October 28 respectively. Counselors Hong Xiaoran and Yuan Ding, several student cadres from the Class of 2023 and all freshmen participated in the activities.
At the start of the event, students formed a circle to take part in ice-breaking games "Finger Catch" and "Peach Blossoms Bloom". Through light physical interaction, students gradually overcame awkwardness and felt the warmth of group companionship. After the ice-breaking session, participants split into groups to introduce themselves, elect group leaders and discuss group norms, laying a cooperative foundation for subsequent group activities.
During the "Three-Legged Race" relay game, team members pulled together closely. The activity strengthened teamwork and fostered initial mutual trust among students. Amid laughter, everyone encouraged each other, overcame challenges and strived together for group honor.
In the "Rating Walk" session, participants rated their own adaptation status to gain an intuitive understanding of their adjustment progress, then shared their initial experiences of university life with peers. In the "Freshman Heart Key" activity, students further reflected on how to find paths for personal growth in college, and formulated specific adaptation goals and action plans. To wrap up the event, the "March Toward the Future" session invited students to walk through a "Dream Passage" amid class applause, filling them with a strong sense of support and boosting self-confidence.
For the interpersonal communication module, students practiced "Mirror Exercise" to experience different emotional perceptions brought by varied communication postures. Afterwards, the "Communication Collision" session simulated communication scenarios common in university life. Groups practiced different communication strategies and learned consistent communication methods to express personal thoughts effectively while respecting others.
Carried out in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, the group psychological counseling helped freshmen make new friends, build a sense of belonging and master practical adaptation skills at the early stage of enrollment. Through games and sharing sessions, students exchanged ideas and learned to tackle common adaptation challenges for new college students. Many students stated that they gained encouragement and support from classmates during the event, and felt more confident about their upcoming university life.
The School of Life Sciences pays close attention to freshmen’s adaptation status and organizes a series of group counseling activities to help them smoothly navigate the adjustment period, serving as a steady escort for their growth journey.
Author: Yuan Ding, First Review: Yuan Ding; Second Review: Zheng Peng; Third Review: Li Chong
