First-year students are getting a crash course on university life during Frosh Week, which runs until Sept. 11 at York University’s Keele and Glendon campuses.
It’s a rite of passage for first-year students, who will spend the week immersed in activities designed to get them acquainted with the places and faces of York University.
Organized by the college councils of Bethune, Calumet, Founders, Glendon, McLaughlin, New, Stong, Vanier and Winters, as well as Lassonde and Schulich, Frosh Week offers first-year student an opportunity to participate in pan-university activities as well as events specific to each college.
Some events are co-hosted by two or more colleges and students enrolled in different areas of study.
The week-long event, also called O-Week or Welcome Week, will bring thousands of frosh to campus to meet and make friends with their peers, learn new chants and cheers and get acquainted with life at York.
Events and activities are led by trained orientation leaders who work hard during the week instill a sense of pride and excitement for those new to the Keele and Glendon campuses.
Orientation events are dry, meaning there is no alcohol, and have an emphasis on safe and inclusive fun. Both residents (who kicked off the week on Sept. 3 with move-in day) and commuters are invited to participate in Frosh Week activities, and commuter students can make arrangements to stay on campus for the week in specially designated commuter rooms.
This week features several pan-University events, including:
- Tuesday, Sept. 6 – Wasaga Beach trip
- Wednesday, Sept. 7 – York Orientation Day, sign up here to receive your arrival time and location
- Saturday, Sept. 11 – evening boat cruise
As well, each college will organize events around their own unique theme for the week, and incorporate activities specific to their college into their schedule.
Bethune College (gameoffrosh.com): The dragons of Bethune will take on ‘dragon week’ with a Game of Thrones theme, kicking things off with sporting activities and the flagship event “Escape from the Eyrie”. Bethune frosh will also check out a Lions soccer game and a day in Toronto.
Calumet College (Calumet’s calendar): Frosh of Calumet will participate in a week of activities under the action hero theme ‘Rise of the Frosh’, beginning with a college party and continuing through the week with hero-themed events including a carnival.
Founders College (foundersoweek.com): Founders frosh will participate in the week-long ‘Froshella’ events, including a late-night mystery walk, movies, dinners and a York Lions football game.
Glendon College (glfrosh.com): Glendonites will fill their week with exciting #Gloweek16 events, including a downtown scavenger hunt, a trip to Canada’s Wonderland and a Final Countdown graffiti night.
Lassonde (www.weekzero.ca): Engineering frosh will participate in ‘Week Zero’ events, with a full schedule of activities including a water balloon fight, a Netflix night, a casino night and more.
McLaughlin College (facebook.com/macfrosh): McLaughlin presents ‘A State of Orange – A Festival of Festivals’ and frosh will keep busy with a Pokemon Go event, a lip sync battle and karaoke night, a carnival and a block party.
New College (New’s calendar): It’s a ‘Super Newtendo’ theme for frosh at New College, with plenty of activities for first-years including super smash wrestling, Mario Kart live, a pep rally and Lions soccer game and a carnival.
Stong College (www.stongcollegesg.com): The Stong Spartans will enjoy a week of activities that includes a scavenger hunt in Toronto, an Olympians Got Talent event, an athletic showdown and a carnival.
Vanier College (vaniercollegecouncil.ca): Vanier O-Week will introduce first-year students to seven days of events, including a sports carnival and hypnotist show, a movie night, a nerf war and a mystic escape room.
Winters College (Winters’ calendar): Winters’ frosh will enjoy a week under the theme ‘Welcome to the Candy Shop’ and participate in activities such as jams in the quad, a lip sync battle and movie night, a paint party and a night walk.
Schulich (Schulich’s calendar): Schulich frosh will enjoy their first week experiencing activities under the hashtag #WelcomeToTheSix. Events planned for first-years include running through the six,
Schulich music video awards, a movie night and an activity that wraps up the week called digital dreams.
For more on orientation events, visit orientation.yorku.ca. For the guidebook on the week’s events and activities, go here.