New places, spaces and faces: O‑Week 2015 in review

They came, they saw, they discovered — and just like that, another successful Orientation Week was over.

In Halifax, O-Week is led by the Dalhousie Student Union. Under the direction of Vice-President Student Life Kathleen Reid and Orientation Week Coordinator Kelsey Keddy, Orientation Week drew in hundreds first-year students and welcomed them to their new campus. This year’s orientation had a wonderful mix of entertainment, social activities and unique learning opportunities.

While many of the events would be familiar to those who’ve been involved with O-Weeks past, this year featured two new events. The first was Dal 101, an event meant to familiarize new students with the services and communities available to them at Dalhousie. Sessions and booths were hosted by many different Dal groups, among them Counselling Services and a Dal organization called Pro-Social which seeks to reduce stigma against mental illness and addiction. Workshops were offered on topics such as the role of our DSU and ways to get involved on campus, and first-year specific campus tours showed new Dal students where many of their classes would take place in the next eight months.

See also: Photo essay: O-Week 2015

The second new event this year was Rock The Boat, a big outdoors east coast  concert with the band Nine Mile River. The event took place on the first night of Orientation week, the first time in many years that the first night event wasn’t Black and Gold (a DJ dance party). This change sought to encourage a safe and welcoming environment for all incoming first-years and, as the crowd reaction suggested, it was a rousing success.

Then there were the returning events: the Cheer-Off, HFXplore, the week-ending rugby game, Shinerama and more. There was truly something for everyone.

“This year the committee was a super diverse group of people from all different backgrounds across the campus,” says DSU VP Student Life Kathleen Reed. “But the entire group seemed to focus on a single goal, which was to make every event we planned inclusive and safe for every student who came through.”

That spirit extended to Truro orientation. From the Hay Bale Contest (won this year by Fraser House) to a trip to the River Breeze Corn Maze, the days were filled with fun activities and opportunities to get to know Dal’s Agricultural Campus.

Fraser House, winners of the Hale Bale Contest in Truro.

With a record number of participants, O-Week was a rousing success — a great welcome for new group of first-year students beginning their participation in the big, diverse Dalhousie community.

See also: Photo essay: O-Week 2015