If anyone were to ask you what your favourite university experience has been so far, I’m sure most of you would look back to frosh week. Do you remember how much fun you had, how many people you met, and how the only thing you had to worry about was waking up in time for the early morning events? Since you remember it being so great, why not do it again? Luckily you can, by becoming one of next year’s frosh facilitators!
Facilitators were the ones who helped make your frosh week as amazing as it was. They were the ones who helped move all of your belongings into your room and woke you up at an ungodly hour with their cheering outside of your residence room. But most of all, they are remembered as the really fun guys and girls who were always outgoing and full of energy, encouraging you to participate in the events and meet new people. Why wouldn’t you want this job?
If I haven’t already sold you on the idea of becoming a facilitator for next year, here are five specific reasons that just might persuade you.
1. It’s a great way to meet new people
One of the best reasons to become a facilitator for frosh week would without a doubt have to be all of the amazing new people you will meet and the friends you will make. If you’re a first-year student transitioning from residence into your own house, this would definitely be a great opportunity for you! After four months of being away from the friends you made in first year, not being steps away from them at any time you want can be a hard transition. Being a facilitator would give you the opportunity to meet a lot of new people as soon as school starts. And even if you’re not coming right out of first year, it’s always great to take hold of an opportunity to meet new people, especially in such an ideal setting. “It’s a very nice [and] welcoming atmosphere,” said Andew Reade, a facilitator from this year’s frosh week.
2. You get to go crazy for five days
Frosh week is the one week during the school year where your only commitment is to enjoy yourself and have fun. “It’s the most fun you’ll have all year; it’s when everyone has the most energy and is the most happy,” said Reade. As a facilitator it is acceptable, and even highly encouraged, to be as loud, obnoxious and crazy as possible. Your job is to be as outgoing and as enthusiastic as you can and encourage the new frosh to have as much fun as you are. I’m sure most of you can remember how ridiculous you thought the facilitators looked, but more importantly, how much fun they were having while doing it. Being a facilitator is the perfect opportunity to go crazy, let loose and be around people full of energy in a positive atmosphere for a week, until it’s time to start taking school seriously!
3. It’ll look great on your resume
If you’re looking for an opportunity to get volunteer hours or gain extra-curricular experience, this is the easiest opportunity to do so! Being a facilitator will show up on your co-curricular record. “[It] looks really good for any jobs dealing with organizing [and] it helps you manage your time. This year I did 72 hours in five days of working,” explained Reade. Being a facilitator would definitely be the easiest and the most fun way to fulfill your volunteer hours.
4. It’s your frosh week all over again, but free!
If you ask any first year student at Carleton what the most fun they had all year was, most of them would agree without a second thought that it was frosh week. Why wouldn’t you want to experience that week again, and for free! As a facilitator, you get to be a part of all of the events that the frosh are participating in.
5. It’s a great way to give back to the Carleton community
Being a facilitator can be very rewarding in the sense that you are helping so many people by doing so little. It’s such a great feeling when you can see how much your time means to someone. A lot of the students who sign up for frosh week signed up because they are in a foreign city where they know nobody and they want to meet new people and have a smooth transition into the new atmosphere they are now living in. Frosh week is also popular among students who do not live on residence because they don’t have the same opportunity to meet people since they do not live on campus. It’s great to see how much being outgoing can help someone; when you see someone come out of their shell and recognize that they’re having a good time, it’s one of the best feelings ever. In short, this is a very rewarding experience!
If you’re an outgoing person who is looking to have fun, meet new people and get volunteer hours, this would be the perfect opportunity for you! Although being a facilitator may appear like it requires a lot of time, it is a very beneficial and rewarding experience, for such a small price to pay! Above all, it’s a great opportunity to get out into the Carleton community, meet new people and have an unforgettable week.