On Jan. 4, University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) welcomed our new incoming students for the winter semester. The welcome event featured a variety of workshops, student speakers, and entertainment. Throughout the day raffle tickets were given out, and at the end of the workshops there was a draw for two iPads.
The event began with the opening ceremonies, where new students heard from established students about their experiences and learned a little bit about the community we have at UFV.
Following the ceremony, volunteers from Student Life led small groups to their first of two workshops. Each student was given the chance to pick which workshops they would like to attend when they signed up for the welcome day event. The event hosted 12 different workshops that focused on different skills that would help in either life or learning at UFV. The topics of the workshops ranged in a number of subjects, including but not limited to: budgeting, learning strategies, goal-setting, life values, time management, mental wellness, learning the campus grounds, diversity, and social skills. Students who are living in Baker House this semester went to separate workshops focused on dorm life. Each workshop was an hour long and interactive to keep students engaged. The workshops began with an icebreaker to let students get to know each other.
At the end of the workshops students reconvened at the Student Union Building for a pizza dinner and the iPad raffle. At the dinner I had a chance to sit down and get to know a few of the students and hear their thoughts on the day’s events. All of the students I spoke to claimed to have enjoyed their individual workshops and that some of the anxiety of starting university life had gone away. Many said they were happy to have familiar faces on campus, as many of the students joining this winter semester are international students.
The evening ended with students having the choice of going to a Cascades basketball game or a movie night featuring Guardians of the Galaxy. At the basketball game students had the chance to buy a Cascadians membership — which includes free snacks at games, as well as entry into game night contests —  for $5 instead of the regular $15.
For those who commuted to the welcome day event, a special bus was provided to take the students back to Carvolth exchange when the event was over.
Photo: The Cascade
Emmaline is working on her BA and ambitions to become an English teacher. They always say, those who cannot do, teach. She spends her free time buying, reading, and hoarding books with the hope that one day she will have no furniture and instead only have piles of books.
