Navigating your O-Week

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Sept. 7 begins another year at Wilfrid
Laurier University and, for all the incoming
first-year students, the start of
an entirely new lifestyle. To help new
student transition to university life,
Laurier offers a number of orientation
activities.

WLUSUโ€™s traditional O-Week

Date: Sept. 7-12

Host: A university orientation week
organized by the Wilfrid Laurier University
Studentsโ€™ Union (WLUSU).

Who: All first-year students are divided
into four colour teams: blue, gold,
green and red. Two residence floors or
a floor and a Laurier Off Campus University
Students (LOCUS) group are
paired together.

Details: Four teams compete against
one another in events such as a talent
show, game show, cheer-off, regatta
games and Shineramaโ€™s โ€œbling-blingโ€
event. The team with the most points
at the end of the week wins.

Highlights: Academic sessions, day at
Bingemanโ€™s amusement park, a movie
night on Alumni Field, the Get Involved
Fair, Shine Day, music concert
and an on-campus party.

Reason to attend: Gives first-years the
opportunity to meet people on their
floor and others as well as a few upper
year student ice breakers.

โ€œItโ€™s important [for students] to find
their fit. We work to find activities to appeal
to all audiencesโ€ โ€“ Burton Lee, assistant
vice-president of first year experience for
WLUSU

LSPIRGโ€™s Complementary O-Week

Date: Sept. 7-12

What: Laurier Studentsโ€™ Public Interest
Research Group (LSPIRG) offers
a complementary orientation week to
coexist with WLUSUโ€™s.

Who: Open to all incoming students,
regardless of whether or not they
registered for WLUSUโ€™s traditional
events.

Details: A collaborative and community-
based set of events designed to
help students discover the KW community
and promote activism and social
justice.

Highlights: Travelling cafรฉs, working
group fair, an opportunity to practice
with Laurierโ€™s Radical Choir and
watch them perform, an exploration
of Waterloo Park, an open space event
(students bring items and do as they
wish with them), a photo scavenger
hunt, movie night and โ€œJamminโ€™ for
Social Changeโ€ at Maxwellโ€™s Music
House.

Reason to attend: Provides an opportunity
for students to meet other students
interested in social justice and
attend activities aside from WLUSUโ€™s
O-Week.

โ€œItโ€™s free and provides more accessibility.
It allows you to get involved in important
issues.โ€ โ€“ Jeff Kitchen, Complementary OWeek
Co-ordinator

SBE O-Day

Date: Sept. 13

What: The school of business and
economics studentsโ€™ society (SBESS)

Who: For all first-year business and
economics students.

Details: Luncheon will be held at
the Waterloo Inn with tables being
mixed to include upper-year SBE students,
corporate sponsors and faculty
members.

Highlights: Keynote speaker Cam
Heaps, co-founder and president of
Steam Whistle Breweries; SBE student-
run clubs and events will be
present to inform students what they
have to offer them.

Reason to attend: Familiarizes firstyear
business and economics students
with Laurier, the SBE faculty, classrooms
and their program.

โ€œThe purpose is to give [SBE students]
an opportunity to meet other people in the
program and get to know the faculty as
well.โ€ โ€“ Shane McTavish, vice-president
of academic affairs, SBE Studentsโ€™ Society

IO-Week

Date: Aug. 31- Sept. 4

What: International Orientation Week

Who: For all incoming international
and exchange students

Details: Students stayed in various
residences and attended workshops
on topics such as what Laurier has
to offer, culture shock, differences in
Canadian academics, housing, employment
and safety

Highlights: Welcome barbecue for
friends, campus tours, a lecture about
Canadian culture from a Laurier professor,
a trip to Niagara Falls and
Niagara-on-the-Lake, a meet and
greet barbecue with the Laurier community
and a six continents sports
tournament.

Reason to attend: L.I.F.E, (Laurier
International Friendship Exchange)
mentors assist international students
adapting to their new learning and living
environment.

โ€œ[It allows students to] become familiar
with Laurier as a community, setting
students up for success.โ€ โ€“ Anna Done
Choudhury, International Student Advisor


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