Waterloo's 6,800 new students learn about campus at orientation

WATERLOO - Thousands of first-year students at the University of Waterloo will launch their campus journeys next week with a wide range of activities designed to help them make a successful transition from high school to university.

Orientation Week, involving more than 1,200 upper-year student volunteers, helps the newcomers to settle in at Waterloo. The six-day program, which begins Monday, Sept. 6, offers a mix of academic information and social events for the first-year class, expected to number about 6,800 students.

"We will introduce our first-year students to an innovative series of academic and social events that will help them adjust to a new environment and new expectations," said Gabrielle Finnie, Waterloo's student life co-ordinator, first-year experience, and orientation co- chair. "It's an opportunity for Waterloo and its Federation of Students to showcase their services. And it's a tremendous experience for our volunteer leaders."

Most activities are aimed at students in specific faculties or departments and residences or colleges, while several target all first- year students. All students are encouraged to attend one of several showings of Single and Sexy, a play that raises issues ranging from sex to social responsibility. There is also programming specific to the needs of students living off campus.

Student leaders will help students move into residence on Sunday and Monday. Orientation activities begin Monday afternoon with games that allow students to meet and mingle with their residence or off- campus roommates. Students will gather from 6 to 8:30 p.m. to participate in team-building activities on the Village green.

Tuesday is largely an academic day, Finnie said. Students will meet their deans and other members of their faculties and departments. The day finishes with movies and live performers at various locations across campus, beginning at 7 p.m.

Wednesday and Thursday offer a mix of planned events and free time. Students can finalize schedules, buy textbooks, set up computer accounts and pick up financial documents. As well, students in engineering, architecture, software engineering and math will write their English Language Proficiency Examination.

Finnie said that all students will be encouraged to attend At Your Service, a two-day service fair running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday in the Student Life Centre. Faculties and departments will also offer program-specific information sessions.

Thursday's big event is Monte Carlo Night, starting at 8 p.m. in the Student Life Centre and Physical Activities Complex. The formal wear event features dancing, gourmet snacks, board games, trivia competition, movies, celebrity photos, acrobats and more.

On Friday, experts from across campus will offer tips for academic success during JumpStart at Arts Lecture Hall. They’ll host workshops on such topics as university-level research, grammar tips, computing services and career planning. James Cunningham, an award-winning comedian and lecturer, will discuss money management tips in an entertaining way, while speaker Spencer West will give a motivational lecture and share the struggles he overcame after losing his legs at the age of five.

Also on Friday, a special lecture series sponsored by the university's deans presents the best professors in each faculty who will give a talk on a topic they are most interested in.

On Saturday, students can head to a carnival, featuring inflatables, sno-cones and cotton candy, and then watch back-to-back men's and women's university rugby games at Columbia Icefield. Evening events include a cross-campus night-walk tour, a video gaming event, an evening of improvisational comedy and an outdoor Toga Dance Party.

Waterloo's off-campus dons will offer a special orientation program for students who want to learn more about living in Waterloo Region.

Meanwhile, architecture students will have their own orientation programming at the school of architecture in Cambridge. They will also travel to the Waterloo campus for many faculty of engineering events during the day and the cross-campus events at night.

Information on all orientations events can be found at www.orientation.uwaterloo.ca.