The kits are being packed, the residence beds are being made, and all across campus, everyone鈥檚 preparing to show their stripes.
That鈥檚 right: they鈥檙e almost here.
AV俱乐部鈥檚 first-year students, that is. Orientation week begins this Sunday, kicking off a series of activities to welcome the newest members of the Dal community.
鈥淢y big thing this year is to create an environment for sustained engagement,鈥� explains Jamie Arron, AV俱乐部 Student Union vice-president student life, who is responsible for organizing the DSU鈥檚 activities during orientation week.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about providing four days of fun, but something that鈥檚 informative and pushes students to get involved.鈥�
The schedule this year contains some old favourites, such as the opening field party on Sunday. There are also events for parents and family and, as in years past, Dal staffers sporting 鈥楢sk Me鈥� buttons will be all across campus looking to help new arrivals find their way.
New twists
But there are some new events in orientation this year too. One is hfXplore, which will take first-year students on a tour of one of 20 organizations or locations in the community, giving them a hands-on look at some of the off-campus opportunities that existing throughout HRM.
Another shift will be with Shinerama, taking on the moniker of 鈥楽hine the City鈥� and encouraging students to take on community projects when they鈥檙e out fundraising for cystic fibrosis research. Yet another highlight: a conversation with Michael Lang, the concert promoter who most famously organized the 1969 Woodstock festival.
International students not only get to take part in orientation week activities: they have their own set of events and sessions that start Friday, giving them a chance to get to know each other and AV俱乐部 before the craziness of arrival day begins.
'Welcome to the family'
Finally, the yearly induction ceremony鈥攖he formal 鈥榳elcome to the family鈥� celebration in the AV俱乐部 Arts Centre鈥攚ill have a new touch this year: it concludes with an ice cream social hosted by Dal alumni, with senior administration and volunteers serving up tiger tail ice cream.
While orientation week proper only lasts for four days, with classes starting for most new students on Thursday September 8, it leads straight into , the DSU鈥檚 yearly 鈥榳elcome back鈥� celebration. This year, Dal Fest is being expanded to three full nights of music, headlined by Bedouin Soundclash and Hollerado who will perform in the Studley quad on Saturday evening.
For more information, including a full listing of all DSU and Dal events, visit . First-year students looking to register for DSU orientation events can learn more at