Campus tours

As a Campus Ambassador at Cal, a major part of my job working at the Campanile and giving tours is answering all the questions that our visiting guests, alumni, and students have to offer. That being said, having just worked my 18th tour and 18th campanile shift, I’ve started to notice that with each shift comes very similar patterns in the questions being asked. And because of that, I wanted to discuss the five most frequently asked questions that I have received (with some responses of which may make Berkeley an even more appealing school to you:)).

“Is it true that Cal...

If you’ve been on one of our guided campus tours, you’ve heard our tour guides talk about all the facts and statistics and superstitions of Berkeley. But how do they get to the polished final product that they are? Let me walk you through the journey of a campus tour script.

When we’re brand new campus ambassadors, our first step is to read a thousand-page textbook on the history of Berkeley. Just kidding…kind of. We do get a manual with all the information about campus, and we draw from it to write our tour...

Although I enjoy talking to people, it doesn’t come naturally. To be honest, I’m not the most sociable person in the room. That said, I can articulate the skills I’ve acquired because I’ve had to learn them myself. As a campus ambassador, I get paid to talk to people, and as a journalism minor, I’m required to for my grades. Many tips I’ve gleaned are from books and websites, but I’ve also picked up several just by observing how others socialize. When I’m working, I’ll note how friendly visitors strike up...