Things to Get Done During Orientation Week

This post follows on from the previous post Things You Should Get Done Before Your University’s Orientation Week.

After doing all the preparations for Orientation week, it’s time to actually go onto campus and discover what university is all about.

But university is usually so much bigger than high school, so where should you be going to get the most out of the experience?

Get your student id card. 

If you haven’t already done so, make sure to head straight to the designated location to collect your student id card. If you decide to collect it this week, it’s usually recommended to go early on the first day or on the last day when the lines have dwindled down a little. This way, you won’t be wasting too much time standing around instead of getting to know the campus and the people.

Check Out the Clubs and Societies

Usually at any university, there’s an area on campus that’s dedicated to advertising the clubs and societies available. Orientation is the prime time to get a feel for these as they’ll be madly trying to recruit first years to join their ranks. Feel free to explore and sign up to as many as you want, there is no obligation to continue your commitment after orientation if you don’t want and this way, you’ll be able to get to know the clubs and societies a bit more before you make the commitment.

Take a Tour

Most universities host guided tours around the campus for students new to the school to help ease them into the term. You can only imagine what it would be like to head onto campus first day of school and not know where to go. Considering that campuses are much larger than those of high school, it is a wise idea to take a tour, that way you’ll be able to ask your guide for the specific locations of your classes and you won’t be stuck trying to find your way around during the first week of school.

Figure out where the cafes/restaurants are.

You will inevitably need to buy food or drink sometime during your time at university and it is a good idea to know where they are located should you ever find yourself hungry after forgetting to bring lunch. Many older students know exactly which places have the best food, and which places are worth your money, so don’t be afraid to ask them for tips and tricks as you make your way around campus.

And most importantly, get to know the people and the vibe.

University is all about the experience, so try to use this time to get to know your fellow peers. Chat to the students at the stalls, attend events and make new friends. You never know, some of them may become close friends throughout uni. Try to relax, have fun and enjoy yourself.