Families and Friends Invited to UC San Diego’s First-Ever Sibling Weekend Jan. 11-12

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Students are invited to host their brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins and family friends, ages 7-16, to share the UC San Diego student experience and participate in a variety of activities Jan. 11-12. Photo by Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Publications

The University of California, San Diego is launching a new tradition with the first-annual Sibling Weekend, Friday, Jan. 11 through Saturday, Jan. 12. Students are invited to host their brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins and family friends, ages 7-16, to share the UC San Diego student experience and participate in a variety of activities.

“This weekend was created to offer an opportunity for younger family members to learn more about UC San Diego and college life,” said Laci Weeden, director of UC San Diego’s Parent and Family Programs. “It allows for the creation of some special memories for siblings and relatives.  We sometimes forget how much the younger siblings are missing their brother or sister who is away at college, so this is a way for them to spend some special time together.”

Participating UC San Diego students and their siblings will kick off the weekend with a “Triton Tailgate” on Friday, Jan. 11 where they can socialize and enjoy free barbeque before the UC San Diego men’s basketball game against Chico State. The weekend will culminate with a family dinner and community service project. Other events include a “green eggs and ham” breakfast, “Triton-style amazing race,” campus tours and more.

The Sibling Weekend events include:

Friday, Jan. 11:

• Triton Tailgate, 5 to 7:30 p.m., Ridge Walk––Games and free hamburgers and hot dogs will be offered to attendees to boost Triton pride before UC San Diego’s men’s basketball team goes head-to-head with Chico State. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. in the RIMAC arena.  

Saturday, Jan. 12:

• Green Eggs and Ham Welcome Breakfast, 9 to 10 a.m., Canyon Vista Dining Hall at Warren College––Parent and Family Program staff and student leaders will welcome participants to campus to review the schedule for the day and share some fun facts about UC San Diego. “Cat in the Hat” pancake stacks will be served, as well as “Lorax” scramble and other whimsical, Seuss-inspired breakfast items. 
• Egg Drop with the Triton Engineering Student Council (TESC) 10 a.m. to noon, Warren College––Undergraduates from the student engineering organization TESC will help participants construct a model strong enough to keep an egg from breaking before dropping it from a higher elevation.  
• Admissions Information Session, 10 a.m. to noon, Price Center East Forum–– UC San Diego admissions staff will cover the freshman and transfer requirements for admission to UC San Diego. Topics will include minimum eligibility, key deadlines and tips for completing the personal statements. There will also be question and answer sessions with admissions officers. 
• Sun God Picnic with some Inflatable Fun, Noon to 2 p.m., Sun God Lawn––A catered lunch will be offered at one of the campus’s landmarks, the Sun God statue—the  first work commissioned by the Stuart Collection. After lunch, participants are invited to play on a huge inflatable beach-themed obstacle course on the Sun God Lawn.
• Triton Amazing Race – Sibling-Style, 2 to 3 p.m. Beginning at Sun God Lawn––This fun-filled competition will give students and their siblings the opportunity to team up to race for prizes. The racing teams will solve clues to guide them to their next location. As the teams race around UC San Diego’s campus they will learn more about the university’s history and tradition.
• Family Dinner, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Student Services Building Multipurpose Room––Family members are invited to gather for a warm pasta and salad dinner.  There will be a picture show from the weekend’s events and student group performances.
• Community Service Project, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Student Services Building Multipurpose Room––After dinner, families are invited to participate in a blanket-making service project for Project Linus. The mission of Project Linus is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.” The blankets will be given to children at hospitals in the San Diego area who are in need.

For more information on UC San Diego’s Sibling Weekend, go to: http://parents.ucsd.edu/events/siblings-weekend.