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The colourful ����ֱ�� shirts are here.

The residence rooms are ready.

Faculty and staff are returning from well-deserved summer vacations and settling in for another academic year.

And thanks to the hard work of hundreds of staff and volunteers, Orientation Week activities are set for the arrival of thousands of students over the weekend.

kicks off Sunday, Sept. 3 with University Orientation, including Residence Move-in Day, and First Years Not in Residence Students (FYNIRS) Orientation from Sept. 3 to 5.

“Orientation Week is one way we welcome our newest students to Queen’s with activities that are educational, inclusive, and fun,” says Ann Tierney, Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs. “University staff and student leaders work together for months to plan each day’s events with the goal of building community and engagement from the moment students arrive on campus. It is always an exciting time of year.”

The program starts Sunday night with the “Queen’s Welcomes U” event, where all first-year students will be formally welcomed by Principal Daniel Woolf before gathering around Nixon Field for social and sporting activities. Sunday also marks the start of the “UNI100” sessions, a series of community meetings which help students break the ice, get familiar with the residence environment, learn about important safety precautions and wellness services, and debrief from events.

The following morning, the students will attend a talk by Farrah Khan, co-chair of the Ontario Provincial Roundtable on Violence Against Women and coordinator of sexual violence education and support at Ryerson University. She will be speaking to the incoming class about the meaning and importance of consent and healthy relationships, as well as bystander intervention, as part of a broader effort to continue to foster a culture of consent on Queen’s campus.

Monday will also feature morning yoga, performances by the Existere social action student theatre group, a carnival, board games, and educational sessions designed to help students prepare themselves for the year ahead. The Alma Mater Society (AMS) will also be connecting with the new students to let them know about opportunities to get involved on campus. On Tuesday, the first-years can attend up to 10 different talks about campus services, and catch the Welcome Home Night festivities, which include club activities, an open mic session at Common Ground, and a dessert tour and casino night, all at the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC).

Wednesday marks the start of the faculty orientation activities, with Queen’s traditions such as the sidewalk sale and fundraising for Shinerama making a return. Charlotte Corelli (ConEd '18), coordinator of the Orientation Roundtable, says the faculty student societies are making a significant effort to integrate the importance of equity and diversity in the planning and running of all events.

“Hundreds of students have been planning to ensure that Orientation Week continues to grow and reach our increasingly diverse group of incoming students,” says Ms. Corelli. “We are looking forward to helping every member of the Class of 2021 feel welcome, safe and included during what is one of the most exciting times of the academic year.”

Over in the School of Graduate Studies, creative use of digital tools helped to introduce students to Queen’s more quickly this academic year. New initiatives in this year's include a Facebook Live video tour of campus hosted by current graduate students, and pre-orientation webinars for both domestic and international graduate students. On-campus orientation events begin Sept. 5 with a welcome and resource fair in the ARC. Over the following week, graduate students will participate in a teaching development day, a career planning session, and an introduction to the clubs on campus. Additionally, the students will get the chance to participate in a meet and greet with the dean and associate deans of Graduate Studies on Friday, Sept. 8.

For orientation details, visit .