Freshmen students will be spreading their Raven wings Aug. 31 as Carleton’s Fall Orientation Week kicks off.
The three orientation programs this year are themed Corporate Candyland (Sprott School of Business), Wizarding World of EngFrosh (Faculty of Engineering and Design), and Join the Conspiracy (all faculties).
“We are going with Join the Conspiracy because ‘conspiracy’ is a group of ravens and when you come to Carleton you are actually joining the ravens,” Charles McIvor, one of the three fall orientation co-ordinators, explained.
The theme is also playing off the Carleton athletics hashtag “#feartheconspiracy.”
Selling out at the beginning of August, registration for the Wizarding World of EngFrosh is now closed with 500 participants. As of last week, the central program had more than 2,000 students signed up, which is around 500 more compared to this time last year, according to Carleton’s frosh website.
The high registration rate has helped set a new record for the number of volunteers with over 1,200 in all three orientation sections, according to McIvor.
Orientation programs run from Aug. 31-Sept. 7, and are filled with exciting activities each day. Signature events include a beach day, Much Music Video Dance, a hypnotist, the canal games, support workshops, according to the website.
The large outdoor concert is also returning this year, with Montreal-based DJ set Chromeo headlining.
Students will also receive a daypass to the Ottawa Folk Festival, and a varsity athletics season’s pass valued at over $100, the website stated.
“As a whole we want the first years to have fun. That is our number one priority,” McIvor said. “If they are not having fun then we are not doing our job right.”
McIvor said he is most excited for the massive icebreaker happening after opening ceremonies. The game, Playfair, will be facilitated by 20 volunteers and include all three programs of orientation.
“Carleton used this activity many years ago, but hasn’t done it with the living memory of anyone who is at the school now,” he said.
Something else unique to frosh this year is the major focus on Shinerama, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. It is Canada’s largest post-secondary fundraiser involving more than 60 universities and colleges across the country. All of the proceeds go to Cystic Fibrosis Canada for further research about the disease and patient care, according to the Shinerama website.
Fall orientation co-ordinator Shayla Kelly said she has already raised $25,000 this summer, which is about $5,000 more from efforts last year.
“Carleton’s student body is heavily involved in philanthropy and active in the Ottawa community and this year we really wanted to introduce first-years to the culture surrounding Shinerama,” said Rawan Abujoub, CUSA vice-president (student life).
This sense of community is one of the main pillars organizers chose to focus the programming on, according McIvor.
“You get to meet people in your community, people you will be living with for the next year,” he said. “We hope as a result they will feel accepted and welcomed to Carleton and they will be excited to spend their next four or maybe 6 years here on campus.”
Participating in frosh as a first-year student, Hannah Macdonald, an incoming first-year public affairs and policy management student, registered for orientation hoping to make close friends.
“I don’t know how that’ll turn out, but I’ve got my fingers crossed,” Macdonald said.
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