All You Need To Know About University Orientation

University orientation is probably the most important event of the university year. Every university does their orientation week, or o-week, slightly differently although the fundamentals of it are generally the same. There are events, clubs, free stuff, tours and parties. If you are living on campus your o-week will also include registration, moving in and college traditions.

Here is everything you need to know about university orientation!

What is university orientation?

University orientation week will usually take place either a week or two weeks before classes for the year begin. O-week gives new students the opportunity to become oriented with the university, make sure their classes are enrolled in, get their student ID sorted and find their way around the university.

University orientation is a great way for students to become involved in university life, meet new people and find out what is going on at the university. If you are unsure about the benefits of o-week we have made a list of the top six tips for your university orientation.

1. Attend all the events

Attending all of the events that you are able to during university orientation is a very important aspect of university. These events will most likely include an official welcome from the university chancellor, faculty welcomes that will help you meet fellow students and important academic staff and support staff for your degree, barbecues, activities, and clubs and society days.

It is important to attend the official welcome and faculty welcomes to get to know the university staff that you will need over the course of your degree as well as learning helpful hints and tips from them. Barbecues and activities will be organised as fun ways to meet other students. These activities might include scavenger hunts, team bonding games and meet and greets.

Finally, the most important event to attend is the clubs and societies day. This day will have all of the clubs that the university has that you can sign up for – and we recommend joining them! You can find societies that are relevant for your degree such as the university paper for communications majors or the theatre group for performance majors. These all look good in your portfolio too!

2. Take pens and paper

At university orientation there are many times where you will need to write important things down. These things to write down will be relevant to your university experience and with so much going on in o-week it can be hard to remember if you are unable to write it down.

3. Take the tour

Every university student will tell you that it is important to take the tour during university orientation, and those who didn’t take it will tell you they regret it. These guided tours are planned to take students to all the most important and useful parts of the university and also tell you helpful tips, like how to find things in the library. It will be relevant information that will help you throughout university.

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4. Take advantage of all the free stuff

University orientation will often have lots of free things to get at events. You can pick up pens, notepads, USB’s, drink bottles, travel mugs, stress balls, and year planners. Save money on all of your stationary needs for your university years by picking them up during o-week!

5. Take care of yourself

University orientation, and even university itself, is a huge and stressful undertaking for any fresher. Orientation week is a big week with many events, and it is important to make sure you look after yourself and don’t get run down. It is also important to know your limits when attending parties or college events.

6. Living on campus

The final thing that you need to know about university orientation is about living on campus. For those who choose to live on campus, o-week will have many more events and activities. This will include orientation, meeting roommates, moving in and college parties and traditions.

Our tips are turn up early for registration to beat the lines, have your stuff organised to make moving in easier, and be ready to meet new people. College parties and traditions may also include a lot of drinking and ‘hazing’ so just remember to know your limits and that you can say no.