Jarrod Yamanaka, junior in LAS, and Andrew Fritschle, sophomore in LAS, play a simple game of catch while sitting on the floor. They wear orange polos and nametags as they lean against a wall and discuss the summer registration program while a rubber band ball lazily bounces from one to the other and back.

It is the last day of summer registration and the very last of 7,700 freshman and 900 transfer students are wandering around campus, clutching orange bags and reluctantly settling for the few and far-between gen-eds still available.

Adding the 9,600 parents and guests of students to the number of participants in the summer registration program, it is understandable that two of the orientation student leaders, Fritschle and Yamanaka, accepted a break in the folder stuffing room to relax.

Each and every incoming student needed to filter through the registration program to sign up for classes and get an I-card. Helping with this immense task were 26 orientation student leaders, including Fritschle and Yamanaka.

The OSLs trained throughout spring semester, familiarizing themselves with University trivia and resources. They also put in a week of intensive training right before the program started to make sure they were prepared to answer any questions of students or guests.

OSLs are easily spotted on the quad and throughout campus, clad in orange and often either holding up college signs or pacing backwards.

“It’s pretty rewarding though,” Yamanaka said. “We get to leave the first impression of the school on most of the freshmen … The work environment here is so relaxed. We work together 40 hours a week and have really become friends. We’ve even become friends with our coordinators.”

“Yea, it’s a great atmosphere, laid back and funny. Some of the OSLs started calling one of the coordinators Dracula,” Fritschle said. Alonzo quietly smiled from across the room.

Joking aside, Fritschle and Yamanaka spend their day completing various tasks for the program. In the morning they join their other team members and perform a short skit for all the participants.

“I think it helps personalize the program and add faces for the participants to see,” Yamanaka said. “Then they don’t feel like they are being herded around in masses all day.”

After the skit Fritschle and Yamanaka lead students to college meetings, help students register for classes, lead quad tours and answer questions.

“The hardest part of our job is answering questions that we have no control over, like about classes that are open,” Yamanaka said. Fritschle agreed.

“I always feel bad when I have to tell a student that they can’t have the schedule they wanted,” Fritschle said.