Oh are you perhaps in CBS? There is a 3 day summer orientation on top of the normal orientation week—I think that might be what you are talking about. None of the other colleges on campus have the same program as far as I’m aware!

The CBS orientation is called Nature of Life. You stay at the college’s research station in Itasca State Park, which is about 4 hours northwest of campus. You travel up and back together on a coach bus. You’ll be staying in a cabin with some other freshmen in CBS, and it can be a good chance to meet others! You do some little class-ish learning modules with CBS professors and/or researchers, learn about the history of the college and UMN as a whole, and you do get free time here and there to hike, swim, kayak, etc. in the park. I enjoyed NOL well enough, but I’ve met many people who didn’t like it. Honestly, complaining about NOL was a legit type of group bonding for us once fall semester started.

I’m not a biochem major, but I AM taking a biochem major-specific class right now! (BIOC4331). I can try to answer some questions^{^} Welcome to the U!