Undergrads: your winter 2018 orientation preview

You’ve been excited about attending university for months, maybe years, and now it’s getting real. Your first term is in sight.

This is the perfect time to be introduced to the wide range of orientation events put on by Concordia to help you ease into your new life as a university student

“Orientation isn’t just one event, as some students think,” says Candace Jacobs, manager of Student Recruitment Marketing and Communications.  “You can look forward to multiple welcome activities — from information sessions and campus tours to social gatherings organized by student associations like the CSU.”

Here are some key Concordia orientation events to look out for:

Kick off your university journey with Discover Concordia

The first big event in the line-up is Discover Concordia which you can attend on either Monday, January 8 or Tuesday, January 9.

As the name suggests, Discover Concordia introduces you to the university community. You’ll learn top tips for starting university on the right foot, and connect with reps from your faculty to learn about important services, opportunities, registration information and student associations. 

“It covers everything you’d like to know before starting university. It’s also a great place to network and meet new people,” says English literature student Léandre Larouche, a writing assistant at the Student Success Centre. He attended the winter 2015-16 orientation.

Welcome Crew Mentors will also help you meet other new students while showing you around campus in small interactive tour groups and sharing insider info about being a student — such as great study spots, helpful student services, and how to check many beginning-of-term tasks off your list!

Start Right for academic success

Another important event to earmark is Start Right, held on Thursday, January 11, organized by the Student Success Centre and open to all undergrads. It’s a full-day orientation session from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during which professional learning specialists summarize the essential strategies for success at university. 

The day is broken into four main sessions that cover time management, note-taking, reading and preparing for exams. 

“Going to Start Right helped me understand what to expect in terms of how much time I would be spending studying, and how to balance having a life while going to school,” says Concordia alumna Sarah Smith, who describes the event as “welcoming and informative.”

You can also join in on some games and icebreakers during a free breakfast and lunch!

Pro tip: if you have classes that overlap with Start Right (or any orientation programming for that matter), don’t fret. We encourage you to prioritize your classes and simply join us before, after or in between your classes! Pre-registration for all orientation events is still recommended, even if you can’t stay for the whole thing.   

Tours, mentors and more from the Student Success Centre

New student tours of campus will be held in mid-December and again in early January.

Undergrads who want to be proactive when it comes to their academics can take advantage of MAP to Success, a small-group orientation program meant to help each student understand their personal strengths, skills and weaknesses in preparation for university. Our first-year support counsellor will be on hand to help you create a personalized plan.

The Student Success Centre is also where first-year students can request a mentor. Sign up and get connected with a successful upper-year Concordia student who can address your questions and concerns and simply meet with you to check in on how you’re feeling throughout your first year.

Orientation for international students

New to Canada? The International Students Office (ISO) has your back.

This winter, they’re hosting a two-hour orientation event called WISE YUL on Wednesday, January 10. You can select from one of four different time slots (9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) Registration is required.

This event is designed to help new international students integrate into life in Montreal, Students can get tips on taking care of administrative details, understanding the university structure, accessing key on-campus resources — like Health Services and the Students Account Office — and connecting with fellow students.

Paola Perez Palacios, the ISO department and social events coordinator, points out the many benefits of attending WISE YUL. “Students will be able to enter their Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and Study Permit in the portal, apply for their permanent code and take care of health insurance questions,” she says.

“They can also get help finding a student job, learn about free on- and off-campus resources to improve their English and French, and discover what the city and Concordia have to offer.”

Also at WISE YUL: free passes to Montreal events and information about a range of activities like cooking classes, movie nights where you can meet new students, both international and local. 

Before making the move to Montreal though, don’t forget to sign up for the ISO’s Pre-Arrival webinars!

Find out more about Winter Orientation 2018.