Welcome to Welcome Day

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Welcome-Day-photo-edited.jpg” caption=”Welcome Day provides incoming first year students the opportunity to tour campus and learn about what McMaster has to offer. “]

It's August and all across the world students are thinking about their return to school in September. Or maybe not! They are probably still thinking about their next chance to go swimming or when they get off work and can join their friends for a BBQ. But soon they will be thinking about school and all the things they need to do in order to get ready.

Getting ready means more than packing up all their belongings and fitting them into two suitcases to move into a residence room, or buying a GO transit pass for the commute from home. It also means knowing what to expect in terms of changes and transitions and being prepared to handle new levels of responsibilities.

McMaster's orientation program is designed to help students prepare themselves for these changes and new responsibilities and to feel welcome and comfortable at university.

One of the orientation programs is called Welcome Day and this year it will be held on Friday, Aug. 10. McMaster students and their families are invited to come to campus on Welcome Day to attend workshops, meet students and staff, learn valuable information about what to expect and find out what services and resources are available to them in their first year.

It is important to give students a lot of support at the beginning of their academic career as it builds a foundation for them to stand on. Providing them with opportunities to develop a social support network, meet friends, and educating them on the resources they can access equips them with the skills and tools they'll need to succeed academically and developmentally.

Welcome Day does this by offering workshops on academic skills, common transition issues and challenges, financial issues and parent information sessions. Students can take a bus tour of the local community or of the residence to which they've been assigned. There is an information fair where over 25 departments distribute information about their services and talk to students about how to benefit from what they offer.

In addition, students have the chance to purchase their MacPass which is an all-access pass to the events and activities planned for Welcome Week in September.

There are many other activities rounding out the day, including other workshops, a BBQ lunch and opportunities to meet and talk with upper year students volunteering that day.

A new workshop will be offered this year for First Generation Students by the First Year Experience Office (FYEO) and will focus on providing academic support to students who are the first in their immediate family to attend post-secondary education.

Students will be given an introduction to the McMaster Library system and attend a session teaching them to write effective study notes.

These students will continue to receive support from the FYEO throughout their first year.

Past Welcome Days have seen approximately 1500 students and their parents in attendance so it's expected tomorrow will be a busy day. Please join McMaster in welcoming our new students and families and help them to have a positive experience as they begin their transition to university.