The University of Rhode Island’s Office of New Student Transitions hosted its sixth annual O-Week celebration from Sept. 4 to 6.
Student orientation leaders led two new programs this year that brought some added excitement to new students coming into O-Week.
“We had two new additions that we did as cohorts,” Rhode Island Admissions Director Erin Earle said. “Students were able to opt into a cohort and be with a group of students that might have similar interests and do different events throughout the week.”
These students got the chance to socialize, make new friends through fun activities and compete in games for a chance to win prizes.
“We had a sticker game where the more games students participated in, the more they would fill up their sticker book and be entered into a drawing,” Earle said. “We gave away free T-shirts and took pictures.”
Some of the events during O-Week became really popular and were a hit among students.
“We did a lot of glow soccer,” Earle said. “We did some slime-making events that students really enjoyed.”
Students were not just limited to on-campus activities. They had the opportunity to explore many popular Rhode Island destinations.
“We try to get students around Rhode Island so that they understand the whole state is an asset to them,” Earle said. “We took students up to Level 99; we took them up to R1, which is a race car place; we took them to the Zoo and took trips up to Warwick and down to the Fantastic Umbrella Factory in Charleston.”
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, often an essential travel option for students, was a part of O-Week to show students that they have resources to get around campus and get off campus when needed.
“We did a trip with RIPTA,” Earle said. “So students could get used to riding the RIPTA up to Walmart if they needed supplies.”
URI O-Week is an opportunity for students who feel out of place at the University to try new things. O-Week can bring people together and help people make friendships that could last throughout college and beyond.
“I think overall that transition from one place to URI is tough for students.” Earle said. “Those events allow them to have the opportunity to meet people that might become their new friends and find some belonging here.”
The O-Week leaders help motivate students and help them to be able to branch out and create groups of friends that will hopefully last throughout their college experience.
“I’ve had so many students come up to me at orientation and introduce me to their friends,” O-Week leader Charlotte Gongoleski said. “I thought that was a nice connection to have with the students.”
The goal for O-Week at URI is to continue to build upon the past years and make the event better and better every year.
“This is our sixth year we have run it,” Earle said. “We continue to evolve it a little bit more every year.”
The Office of new student transitions will look to continue to find new ways to excite the students through O-Week, to make it a fan favorite event every year that the students will not forget.
