On Overview of What to Look Forward to During Orientation
Darian Trabold, Editor-in-Chief and Jac Paraiso, Commuter Coordinator
Orientation is a week filled with fun and interesting events for everyone! All these events are designed to introduce you to many aspects of social and academic life. Here is an overview of the TV inspired events to look forward to during O-Week.
Before Orientation officially begins on Monday, on Sunday, August 25h there is Orientation Registration from 11 – 1 pm, Commuter Orientation from 1-3 pm, Campus Tours from 3-5 pm with the Commuter Coordinators, and finish the day with the Residence Life BBQ at 5 pm!
Monday, August 26th
Orientation begins with registration where orientees register and receive their Orientation Kits! Kits include a tote bag with the shirts you’ll wear throughout the week, a lanyard, helpful information cards, and a few coupons! Dancing With The Stars is a time for Orientees to get to know their groupmates and leaders. After lunch is Invocation, a traditional O-Week welcome at Convocation Hall with speeches from faculty and staff as well as, SMC Alumni Victor G. Dodig, the CEO of CIBC. Games Rotation includes classic games like charades, telephone, and blind dodgeball with O-Cup points on the line. After dinner is a new event, Battle of the Bands. Chlorine and Blue Montague will face off to see who will impress everyone the most!
Tuesday, August 27th
The day begins with a presentation on Consent, a presentation that will help you learn more about the many aspects and importance of consent. After lunch, there is a variety of events happening! The International Fair has food, music, and presentations from the many cultural clubs at UofT! The Inside Out themed Tie-Dye/Hand Printing is an opportunity to tie dye shirts and leave handprints on the orientation banner. Zumba is a great time to dance and let loose during this packed week. Praise and Worship offers a space set aside for students to partake in faith-based music. Are You Smarter Than a UofT Student allows you to test your knowledge in a Jeopardy-like trivia challenge to earn O-Cup points by showing you are smarter than a UofT student! There will also be Wellness Studio Classes taking place at the Wellness Studio in Elmsley Hall focused on meditation and calm, a great reprieve from the jam-packed O-Week Schedule. After dinner there are three more events to choose from including a CSI Mystery night to discover who kidnapped Basil, a Silent Disco, and Board Games with the SMC club Pair-A-Dice.
Wednesday, August 28th
Wednesday begins with an Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt around campus; groups will be given clues to solve to discover the location of the hidden marshal with O-Cup points on the line. After lunch, Mentorship Orientation, hosted by the Mentorship Coordinators, is for those part of the mentorship program. St. Mike’s, the most successful Bed Race team at UofT will be hosting Bed Race Tryouts for those interested in competing. There will also be a puppy social to enjoy hanging out with some furry friends and puppy yoga! An International Student panel is open for orientees to ask questions to international students about adjusting to life in Toronto. After dinner there will be a Block Party featuring carnival events and orientees from other colleges. At the same time, there will be City Tours to learn more about Toronto!
Thursday, August 29th
The day begins with Pre-UofT, an academic orientation to help set you up for success in your first year. After lunch, some of SMC’s professors will be hosting mock lectures to help get a feel for what it is like in a lecture at UofT. Program Socials is a space for you to get to know people in your program. Family Feud allows you and your group to compete against other groups in a Family Feud style game. The BIPOC fair introduces students to the resources and spaces available for BIPOC students. The International Student Welcome introduces international students to UofT. Following dinner is Kelly’s Korner, an SMC favorite. Its a space for students to showcase their. The O-Cup winners and award ceremony will also happen right before Kelly’s Korner so you do not want to miss it.
Friday, August 30th
The final day of O-Week begins with a pep rally to get ready to compete against other colleges to show who has the most spirit. After breakfast, SMC competes against the other colleges to show why we have the most college spirit with the cheers you have learned throughout the week. Following the Cheer Off is the Clubs Fair which is a time to see booths from the many clubs at UofT and learn about what clubs you may be interested in joining. After clubs fair is time to get ready for the formal. O-Week ends with a night at the museum tri-college formal with Victoria and Trinity at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). The exhibits will be open for students to enjoy and dance the night away.
Orientation is a great time to make new friends and connections. Beginning university can be overwhelming but it is important to remember the next four years is not just about academic success but also a place for you to explore your passions and discover new interests. Orientation is just the beginning chapter and these events put together by the wonderful orientation team are sure to help you learn about the variety of aspects of university life and introduce you to some of your best friends forever.
