5 Tips to Help You Make the Best of Orientation Week

The first week of school can be both exciting and scary. For people first entering college or university, it can also be lonely and unsettling. We want to help you feel more confident and comfortable at your orientation, so here are 5 tips to help you make the most of your orientation week:

Introduce Yourself to One Person

This can be easy if you have roommates, housemates, or share a common room with other students. Introducing yourself to even just one person can break the ice and help you feel more confident if you want to have more interactions like this.

Try Something New

Themed events at the campus pub, capture the flag in the quad, or customizing your school shirt, are great ways to explore new fun activities. I climbed a rock wall during my orientation week and had a blast!

Get Free Stuff!

Accept as much free stuff as you can! My favourite free item was a whiteboard calendar that I got from the student union at my school. They were handing out shirts, notebooks, magnets, and even backpacks. You can often score free food during the day like pancakes, pizza, or hamburgers.

Take a Break

You don’t have to go to every event, especially if you are feeling burnt out. If you feel like your social battery is running low, you can definitely take a break and relax. You can make the best of your frosh week without overwhelming yourself, so take your time.

Sign Up for a Peer Mentor

I really enjoyed having a peer mentor. They helped me with any questions I had about school, classes, and where to look for support. Many schools have programs where you can meet with an upper year student to help with any questions or concerns you have about the transition to college or university. 

Have a great orientation week!