Compared to last year’s festivities, which involved an unsanctioned racially insensitive hypnotism event and a failed Engineering Society (EngSoc) nut drive, Orientation 2024 was much quieter.
First-year students participated in several cross-faculty and faculty events from Sept. 1 to 8, including the Welcome Forum at Richardson Stadium on Sept. 1, and the Orientation Roundtable (ORT) Mystery Concert where DJ Dillion Francis took the stage on Sept. 6. Engineering students tipped the Grease Pole on Sept. 8 to retrieve the coveted tam, while Arts and Science students got muddy during Robinson’s Mud Run on Sept. 2.
READ MORE: Rain couldn’t dampen the energy, DJ Dillon Francis electrifies first-year crowd
Maddie Ronan, ORT Coordinator, bore witness to orientation events and is pleased with how the festivities went.
“I was very privileged to have been able to attend a plethora of events as well, both from my home faculty (ConEd), and other faculties,” Ronan said in a statement to The Journal.
Overcoming challenges
While Ronan claimed there weren’t any major challenges during orientation this year, minor issues such as rain posed setbacks.
“The rain on Saturday, Sept. 7 presented logistical challenges, such as the need to quickly pivot outdoor events to indoor contingency spaces. This required swift problem-solving and coordination to ensure that all activities could be seamlessly relocated and conducted without disruption,” Ronan said.
According to Ronan, the ORT team stepped up last minute and navigated these difficulties with ease.
“I am grateful to my ORT Team, the AMS and SEO [Student Experience Office] staff for supporting the smooth facilitation of these last-minute changes!” Ronan said.
Integrating students into campus life
For Ronan, orientation is about integrating first-year students into campus life and introducing them to Queen’s traditions. Events like Queen’s in the Park on Sept. 1 introduce new students to a variety of clubs and services.
“During Faculty Orientation, key accomplishments often include seeing students successfully integrate into the campus community and start forming connections with their peers,” Ronan said.
By offering opportunities to integrate socially at Queen’s, orientation allows first-year students to meet peers, form new friendships, and build their social networks.
Orientation shows first-years how they should behave academically and socially, helping new students avoid common pitfalls they may make during their university experience, Ronan explained.
Extensive training for orientation leaders
Well trained orientation leaders are key, Ronan said.
Extensive training helped the ORT team create a supportive environment for first-year students, allowing them to navigate their new surroundings with confidence, she added.
“Ensuring that orientation leaders are well-trained typically involves detailed training sessions that cover event protocols, campus resources, and effective communication strategies,” Ronan said.
READ MORE: The silence surrounding Queen’s Orientation
To help train orientation leaders this year, Ronan implemented a variety of tactics including role-playing exercises and scenarios to help prepare leaders for various situations they may encounter.
Tags
Asus, EngSoc, orientation, Orientation 2024, ORT
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