As i write this we are smack dab in the middle of orientation week. This is probably the busiest time of the year for me, that and the 2-3 weeks leading up to it. This year the organizing team added a lot of new events, and we really packed the first two days so that we can really welcome the first year students to their new community.
The work and hours required, really doesnt lend itself well to proper work out schedules though. Last week was #cigarSunday less and this week will be as well.
The week went like this:
Monday: 2000m swim
Tuesday: 2500m swim
Wednesday: 6.5km run
Thursday: off
Friday: 2500m swim
Saturday: ummm nope, no chance
Sunday: Ok, this was not a traditional work out, but the day was totally a work out of sorts, lugging stuff, set ups and take downs, lugging more stuff, but still not going to count it as it was not a run, bike or swim.
If I had to guess this coming week is not looking good either for a #cigarSunday but stranger things have happened.
So Day one of orientation week went fairly smooth. We had some frosh kit probs the night before, but after manually counting the frosh kits not once but twice, we finally got a number we could agree upon. We sell out every year so it is critical that we know exactly how many we have so we dont oversell. We are not Air Canada.
So up early Saturday morning, birds chirping, coffee filling the house with that nutty aroma, and the echo's of 90 pink clad OCREW ( orientation week leaders) beginning their welcome day rituals and chants.
I know some people in the town are put off by it, but i love it.
These students come back to campus early each year, they do not get paid, if fact, it costs them money from their personal expenses to be here the week before students come back to train, rehearse and organize the activities that they facilitate. Not many people see the behind the scenes effort, or the care and dedication that OCREW members bring to orientation week, but it is so appreciated by new students, and our organization.
Off to our welcome day trade show, it is in an ice rink with a hard plastic floor placed over the ice. Now normally i prefer being cold, but having to stand on a plastic ice rink for 6 hours, is always an uncomfortable experience. The only thing that makes it bearable is the chance we get to talk with students and parents about the services we provide.
After that, quick change and off to stake off the Cheer Off location. We have many houses ( residences) on campus, each one has a number of cheers. We review all the house cheers as a committee, make edits and the houses are allowed to participate in a Cheer Off event where they get to preform their cheers against the other houses. Off Campus won this year, so congrats to them. Then its off to get the field ready for the Giant X photograph.
While that is taking place, the final set up is done on the Beach Party. This set up takes a couple of days, and involves trucking in a beach, and putting it in a massive tent. As well as setting up security fencing, decorations, snow fencing, generator and sound and light gear.
Happy to say the all the events on Day One went off with very little issue. Off to bed for a few hours sleep then its Day Two: SUNDIE.
Sundie was quickly branded by OCREW for the sheer amount of events ( 8) in total that were being put on that day.
Starts with pancake breakfast around 8am, hosted by the University Admin, then we start moving 1100 frosh from campus to Columbus field, through town for an event called X Games. The frosh are then divided by faculty and compete in ice breaker games against other faculty teams. In the adjacent field we are setting up a local vendor fair, about 25 vendors, with tables and tents, live music and our campus food provider is setting up lunch.
Once we get that set up, I am off with a bunch of OCREW back to campus to begin the set up for our Water Balloon Fight and then Jello Slide. With a crew of 20 and some generous help from the University grounds and trucking we move 30000 water balloons from various nooks and crannies around the University to Memorial Field.
We stake off the two sides, lay out garbage bags and begin to place the water balloons ever so gently on the bags.
Once the vendor fair and lunch is over, we move 1100 frosh back to campus to get changed for water balloon fight and Jello slide.
As water balloon fight erupts, Jello slide is set up.
As students finish Jello Slide and help us pick up all the little pieces of broken balloons, we move into the set up of the faculty social and mentalist.
As frosh go back to residence covered in jello and baby shampoo to get dressed up for the faculty social, we discover that the mentalist is going to be late.
A plan is put in place and executed so no one will know the difference and no one does, well, accept for now because I just told you.
We are blown away at the attendance of both faculty and students for the first ever faculty social and the mentalist starts on time.
Off to bed, end of Day Two.
So yeah, a busy couple of days, as much as i do miss my exercise routine and my food, sleep and family life gets disjointed, being a small part of helping to create memories for first years students during orientation week is very gratifying and worth it.
I am looking forward to things getting back to normal in the next week or so, wait, whats that? Rick Mercer and his show are coming to campus for two days next week. Ok. So normal might have to wait a couple extra days.
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan
The work and hours required, really doesnt lend itself well to proper work out schedules though. Last week was #cigarSunday less and this week will be as well.
The week went like this:
Monday: 2000m swim
Tuesday: 2500m swim
Wednesday: 6.5km run
Thursday: off
Friday: 2500m swim
Saturday: ummm nope, no chance
Sunday: Ok, this was not a traditional work out, but the day was totally a work out of sorts, lugging stuff, set ups and take downs, lugging more stuff, but still not going to count it as it was not a run, bike or swim.
If I had to guess this coming week is not looking good either for a #cigarSunday but stranger things have happened.
So Day one of orientation week went fairly smooth. We had some frosh kit probs the night before, but after manually counting the frosh kits not once but twice, we finally got a number we could agree upon. We sell out every year so it is critical that we know exactly how many we have so we dont oversell. We are not Air Canada.
So up early Saturday morning, birds chirping, coffee filling the house with that nutty aroma, and the echo's of 90 pink clad OCREW ( orientation week leaders) beginning their welcome day rituals and chants.
I know some people in the town are put off by it, but i love it.
These students come back to campus early each year, they do not get paid, if fact, it costs them money from their personal expenses to be here the week before students come back to train, rehearse and organize the activities that they facilitate. Not many people see the behind the scenes effort, or the care and dedication that OCREW members bring to orientation week, but it is so appreciated by new students, and our organization.
Off to our welcome day trade show, it is in an ice rink with a hard plastic floor placed over the ice. Now normally i prefer being cold, but having to stand on a plastic ice rink for 6 hours, is always an uncomfortable experience. The only thing that makes it bearable is the chance we get to talk with students and parents about the services we provide.
After that, quick change and off to stake off the Cheer Off location. We have many houses ( residences) on campus, each one has a number of cheers. We review all the house cheers as a committee, make edits and the houses are allowed to participate in a Cheer Off event where they get to preform their cheers against the other houses. Off Campus won this year, so congrats to them. Then its off to get the field ready for the Giant X photograph.
While that is taking place, the final set up is done on the Beach Party. This set up takes a couple of days, and involves trucking in a beach, and putting it in a massive tent. As well as setting up security fencing, decorations, snow fencing, generator and sound and light gear.
Happy to say the all the events on Day One went off with very little issue. Off to bed for a few hours sleep then its Day Two: SUNDIE.
Sundie was quickly branded by OCREW for the sheer amount of events ( 8) in total that were being put on that day.
Starts with pancake breakfast around 8am, hosted by the University Admin, then we start moving 1100 frosh from campus to Columbus field, through town for an event called X Games. The frosh are then divided by faculty and compete in ice breaker games against other faculty teams. In the adjacent field we are setting up a local vendor fair, about 25 vendors, with tables and tents, live music and our campus food provider is setting up lunch.
Once we get that set up, I am off with a bunch of OCREW back to campus to begin the set up for our Water Balloon Fight and then Jello Slide. With a crew of 20 and some generous help from the University grounds and trucking we move 30000 water balloons from various nooks and crannies around the University to Memorial Field.
We stake off the two sides, lay out garbage bags and begin to place the water balloons ever so gently on the bags.
Once the vendor fair and lunch is over, we move 1100 frosh back to campus to get changed for water balloon fight and Jello slide.
As water balloon fight erupts, Jello slide is set up.
As students finish Jello Slide and help us pick up all the little pieces of broken balloons, we move into the set up of the faculty social and mentalist.
As frosh go back to residence covered in jello and baby shampoo to get dressed up for the faculty social, we discover that the mentalist is going to be late.
A plan is put in place and executed so no one will know the difference and no one does, well, accept for now because I just told you.
We are blown away at the attendance of both faculty and students for the first ever faculty social and the mentalist starts on time.
Off to bed, end of Day Two.
So yeah, a busy couple of days, as much as i do miss my exercise routine and my food, sleep and family life gets disjointed, being a small part of helping to create memories for first years students during orientation week is very gratifying and worth it.
I am looking forward to things getting back to normal in the next week or so, wait, whats that? Rick Mercer and his show are coming to campus for two days next week. Ok. So normal might have to wait a couple extra days.
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan
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