Ready, set, O‑Week!

Orientation Week is one of the most exciting times in a university student’s life.

It’s a new chapter for many — a time full of enthusiasm, a sea of new faces, and a whole lot of fun.

And while the experience of a student’s first days on campus is shaped by many, many people in the university community, it’s the Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) that works to ensure that the more than 2,000 new students coming to Dal this month get the most out of Orientation Week itself.

Learn more: DSU O-Week website

Cory Larsen, DSU vice-president student life, says the DSU has designed an Orientation Week that has something for everyone. It will help new students get to know the campus, meet new people and, most importantly, enjoy an experience they’ll never forget.

“Orientation Week is your first experience at Dal — you make a lot of connections in the first week,” says Larsen. “We want everyone to have a great first impression of Dal, and enjoy a positive week that will help them transition to the Dalhousie community.”

The idea is to offer a wide variety of experiences that appeal to different students.

“You want everyone to feel included, so we’ve got events that incorporate music, sports, food and campus spirit,” says Larsen. “Safety is a priority, of course, with all orientation activities being dry.”

To help get new students in the O-Week spirit, the DSU filmed a new rendition of an old standard: the "See You in September" song, first recorded in 2011.

Orientation Week at Dalhousie’s Halifax campuses runs from Sept. 1 to Sept. 3. Some of the scheduled events include:

• Field Party: Dance offs, music, huge inflatable slides and much more in the Quad. Saturday, Sept. 1, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Rock It: A night of high-velocity East Coast music in the Studley Quad. Featuring Nine Mile River on the mainstage. Saturday, Sept. 1, 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Cheer Off: Houses with the loudest cheers will be awarded tiger points to help them blast off into first place. Sunday, Sept. 2, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Playfair: Through a series of games, ice breakers, and secret handshakes, new students will come together to take command of their journey. Sunday, Sept. 2, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Dalplex.
• Shine Day: Shinerama is Canada’s largest post-secondary fundraiser involving students at almost 60 university and college campuses across Canada, aimed at raising money for cystic fibrosis research. Monday, Sept. 3, 8:30 a.m., various locations across Halifax.
• Induction: The official welcome to the Dalhousie community. Monday, Sept. 3, 7 and 7:45 p.m., Dalhousie Arts Centre.
  

Dalhousie’s Agricultural Campus in Truro will also celebrate Orientation Week from Sept. 1 to 3, with activities hosted by the Dalhousie Agricultural Students Association. New students will take part in their first House Challenge, a bonfire night, scavenger hunt, and corn maze race. Full details.