Back to School at Loyalist: Orientation Week in Photos

A new academic year is underway at Loyalist College, and the first days are packed with activity!
From moving in, exploring campus and meeting peers, to pub nights, barbecues and the first home game of the Lancers season, Orientation Week gives new and returning students plenty of ways to get into the rhythm of college life. 

Here’s a look at the first few days in photos:

 A warm welcome to Residence 

Residence Move-in day brought a steady stream of cars, boxes, bags and new residents to campus on Sept. 6. Luckily, there were plenty of helping hands waiting.

Easy to spot in their bright tie-dye shirts, varsity athletes and student leaders welcomed students and their families, helping to unload vehicles and help get belongings through the residence doors. 

“We make sure we have friendly faces ready to lend a hand from the moment students arrive,” says Loyalist’s Residence Life Specialist Darcy Eligh. “It’s the first step toward making Loyalist feel like home.” 

Move-in day comes with a mix of excitement and nerves: a new room, new faces and, for many, a goodbye to loved ones who helped get them there. By the end of the day, the boxes are inside, families are heading home and a new chapter at Loyalist is officially underway. 
 

And we’re off!

On Sept. 8, new students gathered in the gymnasium for the Official Welcome, hosted by Loyalist College Student Government, where they heard from college leadership and picked up their welcome packages. 

“It was wonderful to see so many new faces on campus and to feel the energy that came with Orientation Week,” says Laurel Wilcox, Practical Nursing student and member of Student Government. “The atmosphere was incredibly positive, and it was great to see Student Government, returning students, and our Loyalist Life Ambassadors working together to make new students feel welcomed, supported, and excited to be part of the Loyalist community.” 

After the Official Welcome, Program Coordinators led students to Academic Orientation – a chance to meet their professors and find out what to expect in the semester ahead.  

At Loyalist Life Orientation, students enjoyed the sunshine while participating in activities and getting to know their classmates at a barbecue. 

For those ready to jump right in, the rock wall offered an exciting challenge! 

And of course – one of the clearest signs of a new academic year at Loyalist was everywhere: red hoodies! 

The fun continues

Throughout the week student activities helped build community and kept the campus lively, from the Plant Party in the Link Lounge to the first Lunch and Learn of the academic year in the Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks Indigenous Centre. 

The Loyalist College community capped off the week with its annual Friday Night Lights celebration on Sept. 11, complete with roller-skating, beach volleyball, pickleball and a Loyalist Lancers Women’s Soccer game.

With Orientation Week wrapped, Loyalist students are ready to learn, make connections and take the next steps toward their goals.