A blast from the past: UTMSU hosts 2024 Orientation Week
First-year students celebrate a medieval-filled week full of events, including a show, dinner, and even a boat ride to kick off their undergraduate experience.
From August 31 to September 7, the University of Toronto Mississauga Student Union (UTMSU) hosted its annual Orientation Week for incoming first-year students under the theme, Quest ’24.
According to their website, one of its purposes for hosting this week is to provide students with the opportunity and “life-changing experience” to meet new people while having “the best transition into your first year of university.”
UTMSU Vice President of Campus Life Joy Pius said in an interview with The Medium, “Orientation offers numerous benefits to first-year students, serving as an excellent way to integrate them into the university community and help them feel a sense of belonging on campus.”
Amidst the events and games, Pius pointed to a specific ambition the Orientation committee had in mind, “The ultimate goal of orientation is to set students up for both academic and social success.” With a focus on enhancing the experience of new students, the event aimed to help participants get acquainted with the campus, build friendships and connections, and explore the university’s various student resources.
Each year, the Orientation Committee works hard to focus the week around a new, fun, and immersive theme including Legends ’23 last year and Venture ’22 before that.
This year’s theme, Quest ’24, features a medieval fantasy concept centering around knights, castles and dragons. Pius stated that this year’s theme focused on “finding a healthy balance within one’s life.”
The theme was also meant to help new students navigate their post-secondary lives by reminding them that there is more to university than only achieving good grades, Pius explained. It is an opportunity to try new things, meet new people, and have “awesome adventures.”
Some of the events the Orientation Committee had lined up for students this year included Paint ‘n Foam on September 2, which according to Pius, was a “lively party where participants can enjoy being splattered with colourful paint while dancing in foam.” Participants wore white t-shirts before the event before being doused in a variety of coloured paints—a keepsake for students from their experience at orientation.
On September 5, the Committee hosted its Boat Cruise, the second event, where students were invited to board a boat and enjoy the Toronto skyline. The third event of this year’s Orientation, Medival Times, was held on September 6 where students were invited to a medieval-themed feast and a show.
The last event of this year’s orientation, Final Quest, celebrated the end of Orientation Week with a capture-the-flag tournament which pitted students from the event’s four houses against each other in a bid to obtain the coveted UTMSU Cup.
This year’s orientation offered a nostalgic touch for some, while delivering an unforgettable, adventure-filled introduction to university life for incoming students, ensuring a lasting impression that will shape their university experience for years to come.
