We have all heard the term frosh week. We see it depicted in the movies as a week-long party, focusing on drinking and crazy activities.
If you’re shy, reserved or quiet, thoughts of a stereotypical frosh week can be overwhelming and not at all appealing. But there’s much more to frosh week activities than a party and it’s worthwhile for you to get involved. Let’s remove that Hollywood image of frosh events and focus on why schools offer fun activities at the beginning of the school year.
Around the world, frosh is a recognized term that refers to the variety of activities aimed at welcoming first-year students to college and university campuses.
These activities are usually organized by the student council and include social events, live music, and outdoor games.
The purpose of these activities is to help new students feel like they belong to the campus community and to integrate them into the school environment. You can actually learn quite a bit from orientation activities and from other students who were in your position a year earlier.
Besides all the social activities, orientation week is a great time to learn about what your school has to offer. For example, maybe your course offers an opportunity for you to do an international internship or academic exchange. Perhaps there are school clubs you can get involved in that will connect you to career-enhancing opportunities.
Think of frosh activities as a way to learn about maximizing your time at school and to get informed about all the services available to you. So let’s redefine frosh in a way that helps you make the most of your introduction to post-secondary education:
• Friends. Meeting new people. The chance to connect with a variety of fellow students and to build life-long friendships.
• Resources. Learning about the many different resources your school has and how it can actually make your academic life easier. Consider tutors, campus workshops and mentor programs.
• Opportunities. Find out about the possible activities you can get involved with, whether it’s clubs, student government or international opportunities.
• School. Learn about your school, find your way around, and meet key people, staff and faculty members.
• Help. There are many people on campus who are available to assist you with all your academic and non-academic needs. Learn about the variety of services available to help you succeed.
Begin your first year by getting involved in frosh week activities so you can make the most of your experience at college or university right from the start.
– Tracy Rogers is the Career Services Co-ordinator for Seneca College, Seneca@York Campus.
