With the start of a new year, Ewha is getting ready to welcome to newcomers. Before school starts, freshmen are looking for programs that will help them adjust to new campus life, and among various activities, Ewha-da Woori has already completed recruiting their mentors for newcomers. Recruiting their first mentors and mentees in 2007, Ewha-da Woori is one of the most famous mentoring programs that pairs one senior with several mentees. Although the purpose of the mentoring is to help mentees adjust to their life in Ewha, their activities varies from touring inside the campus to seeking for entertainments outside the school. “The best thing about Ewha-da Woori is that you can learn how to enjoy university life to its fullest,” said Sim Yun Bin, a sophomore from the Deparment of Education, a former mentee and a mentor for Ewha-da Woori this year. “As a group we went to multiple eateries, board game and comic cafes, campus exhibitions, and most of all the fun places around school and the Sinchon area. Through Ewhada Woori I was able to experience all these great activities, and these became unforgettable memories especially because I was with my mentor and mentee friends.” As Ewha-da Woori is well known for the high satisfaction among students, mentors are selected based on their competence to plan activities and guide their team in and out of school. “Many of the mentors have participated as a mentee for Ewhada Woori, but even if applicants haven’t participated as a mentee, they are always welcome as long as they show their enthusiasm and commitment for the program,” said Han Ju-oak, manager of Ewhada Woori program. “Mentors with diverse experience are becoming more important for Ewha-da Woori as some students do not have a senior within their own department with the school establishing new departments for the past few years.” Many mentees return to Ewha-da Woori as mentors, too. “Just as I have had so many memorable moments through Ewha-da Woori as a mentee, I wanted to pass on what I have learned and enjoyed to this year’s freshmen,” Sim said. To ensure that the activities in Ewha-da Woori do not become financially burdensome for mentors and mentees, all participants receive basic education on the guidelines they should follow when carrying out their team activities. Mentors are also provided with a ‘Mentoring know-how’ booklet including tips and experience from previous mentors. However, activities are not limited to the ones introduced by the Ewha-da Woori Committee. “ I f e l t t h a t t h e a c t i v i t i e s suggested by the Committee were a bit plain, such as room escape cafes and picnics to Han river,” said Nam Yoojin, a junior majoring in English Literature and Language and a previous mentor. “That is why in our first meeting we talked and decided altogether about the activities we wanted to do throughout the year.” The Ewha-da Woori program suits well for freshmen who want to make close friends experience university life in and out of campus. “If I could go a year back, I think I would have applied for the Ewhada Woori program as a mentee,” Nam said. “Meeting with mentors and mentee friends twice a week will create strong relationships and memorable moments of your first year in university.” Ewha-da Woori mentors are waiting for this year’s freshmen, hoping to give help. “It is very difficult when you have no one to ask for things you need help with,” Sim said. “I want to be that mentor who you can easily ask for help anytime. I will do my best to make activities in Ewha-da Woori something more memorable to my mentees and myself as well.”