For any first year, university can be intimidating and overwhelming. University doesn’t seem like a particularly fun place, after all we’re here to study. Horrifying hazing stories, heavy workloads, and extremely large classes don’t help the case either. But fortunately before all the nights of intense cramming and endless cups of coffee began, we first years get the chance to experience one fantastic week that displays a different side to university.
At first, Frosh Week seemed intimidating and excessive. People were covered from head to toe in blue paint. They were banging drums and screaming at the top of their lungs and everyone was putting their all into the activities. Yet despite the craziness, Frosh Week was actually a lot of fun. Body paint turned out to be a nice accessory and loud cheers were really, really catchy. And, somehow, all those activities led to new friendships.
St. Michael’s College, which is my college, is known for their outrageous events, amazing people, and blue coloured people. Don’t ask me why, it’s just tradition.  Every first year was assigned to a group, which then worked as a team to win the most coveted prize of all: the Frosh Cup. Teams gained spirit points for the loudest cheers, most spirited, and winning games. There were tonnes of outlandish but fun activities that ranged from scavenger hunts and gigantic jigsaw puzzles to more scandalous games such as the stripping game. Yes, you read that right. One of the most popular games was the stripping game, in which each member had to remove pieces of clothing to form a straight and long line. Needless to say, you can be sure that heads were turned.
Though most of the time was spent with my own college, there were some events that included all seven colleges. The best example of this was the frosh parade. Every single first year marched in the parade; everyone cheered, laughed, and enjoyed themselves. Well, almost everyone. Quite a few drivers gave us death stares as we strode through countless red lights. Later, the Sam Roberts Band blew people away with their perfect performance. The atmosphere was amazing and everyone was having a good time.
Over the course of seven days, froshies got to meet each other, develop friendships, and experience some of the best parties of the year. But everyone, including myself, was exhausted at the end of the week. Endless hours of fun had come to a stop and it was time to prepare for the tough times ahead. For us, Frosh Week was more than just seven days of yelling cheers and playing games, it signified a new beginning for first years, a chance to make lifelong friendships and lasting memories and will always be one of the highlights of my university experience.
Â
Â