First-year Spencer Reed (middle) and his parents help him move into his dorm Aug. 18. New Student Orientation (NSO) events like New Student Sunrise, Frosh Follies and Waves Expo have historically been a staple in the first-year experience. Photo courtesy of Spencer Reed
The Pepperdine Class of 2030 moved in Aug. 17 and 18 to kick off New Student Orientation (NSO), which takes place a week prior to the academic school year and is designed to ensure a successful transition into college, according to Pepperdine’s website.
NSO begins a period of experiencing what college life is like, meeting new people and joining on-campus extracurriculars. This transition of moving away from home and into an unfamiliar environment may be stressful yet exciting for students.
“[I’m excited to] just meet people and I think everyone else is in my position too,” first-year Anna Claire Cokins said. “I want to make a bunch of friends and find familiar faces.”
Bucket List For The Year
Students may find that starting a new chapter of life at a new school can be exciting — new shops to explore, a new culture to be part of and so many places to experience nature.
First-year Marnee Richardson said she wants to get involved in extracurricular programs.
“I’m waiting until I see the clubs [at Waves Expo] so I can narrow it down to maybe three or four,” Richardson said. “Definitely Greek life and maybe the Outdoor Recreation trips.”
Waves Expo is an annual NSO event that takes place on Alumni Park. First-years and their families can meet Malibu’s local churches, the University departments, and student-led organizations, according to the NSO Fall 2026 Schedule.
First-year Spencer Reed said he hopes to get involved in intramural basketball, which meets once a week in the spring semester for a traditional 5-on-5 play, according to Campus Recreation.
First-years Anna Claire Cokins (left) and Kate Medin (right) pose on Lower Dorm Road on Aug. 19. Cokins said she plans to push herself to be more social during NSO week. Photo courtesy of Anna Claire Cokins
During her first year, Cokins said she wants to learn how to “actually” surf. Being from Austin, Texas, she said she only knows how to wake surf, but the surf classes offered at Pepperdine might help her learn.
Cokins also said she will come to a final decision regarding which International Program she wants to apply to, as she’s deciding between Florence, Italy or Kyoto, Japan.
“Japan would be so fun because it’s so inspiring there,” Cokins said. “But Italy is Italy and it’s right in the center of Europe.”
A Year of Firsts
For first-years, the transition to college can mean building a new community from the ground up, Cokins said.
“I’m a little nervous because I don’t know literally anyone,” Cokins said. “But I’m more excited than nervous over anything.”
Cokins said she also wants to participate in a recreational activity on campus or join a club she would not normally join to get out of her comfort zone.
“I’m big in my faith, so I’d like to join a small group for that,” Cokins said. “I’m really excited about that because I recently am getting into my personal faith.”
Richardson said she is most looking forward to the “Meeting with Divisions and Majors” NSO event, where incoming students can connect with their peers, professors and division staff, according to the NSO Fall 2026 Schedule. She said she feels excited, hopeful and curious about this year.
“I get to take some communications classes this year like ‘Storytelling Through Media,’ so I’m interested to see what that will be like,” Richardson said.
(From left to right) First-years Marnee Richardson, Alexis McCoy, Grace Ingram and Katharine Rotramel celebrate the start of NSO on Aug. 18. Richardson said she wants to learn how to surf now that she lives in Malibu. Photo courtesy of Marnee Richardson
Looking Into the Future
By the time she graduates, Cokins said she wants to advocate for Pepperdine to recognize and qualify American Sign Language (ASL) as a language that fulfills the General Education language requirement. Currently, ASL is not a course that fulfills the language requirement because it is viewed as “second language acquisition,” according to Pepperdine.
“I took sign language for three years in high school and I loved it,” Cokins said. “A big thing I want to do is try and get them to at least accept it by the time I graduate.”
Richardson said she wants to make use of the Seaver College Career Center.
“[In the future,] I’ll be glad that I explored lots of opportunities and put myself out there to meet lots of people,” Richardson said.
Reed said he wants to pursue investment banking and strives to take advantage of Pepperdine’s resources to set himself up for a stable career.
“[I want to] just get to know as many people as possible and open up my horizons,” Reed said.
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Contact Jordan Baquiran via email: jordanisabel.baquiran@pepperdine.edu