Behind the scenes of Welcome Week 2023

Residence orientation representatives and Maroons share the work that went into making Welcome Week a success 

Behind Welcome Week 2023 are students who volunteer their time to help empower and welcome first-year students as they start this next chapter of their lives. 

Laurie He, a fourth-year sensory motors system student, is a residence orientation representative for Bates Residence and Moulton Hall this year. RORs are assigned specific residences and help students settle into their new homes during Welcome Week.  

“We help get the first years settled in like to their new home…I know at times they're experiencing homesickness or just everything is very new, in a completely new environment for the first years. Our job is kind of to make them feel as welcome as they do in their homes,” explained He. 

Daisy Thang, a third-year communications student and a Multimedia Assistant at the Silhouette, was a McMaster Students Union Maroon this year. The Maroons aim to connect with students at Welcome Week and throughout the year.  

Thang shared that this year's Welcome Week training was more immersive than in past years and helped her feel prepared for events of the week. 

"They switched up the format, so it was actually more situational. They had us in smaller groups, it was a lot more dynamic. We were able to kind of have more one-on-one, or small group sessions where we were able to be more collaborative and kind of act out the scenarios. I feel like that prepared us way better for the situations that we'd be put in during Welcome Week,” said Thang. 

Both He and Thang said they loved meeting the incoming students. He shared that her favorite event was Capture the Watermelon, hosted by Boulton and McKidden residence representatives. They used the event as a way for students to meet in an enjoyable way and start off the week on the right foot. 

“I think that was like a great way to like just have the first years get friendly with each other… I think it was a great time for everyone. I think 100 people participated in it because it was 50 versus 50 people and then a lot of their friends came in they supported them. I think it was like a great introductory event to welcome week,” said He.  

Thang explained how well-run this year's Welcome Week was, especially compared to her own Welcome Week in 2021. 

“2021 was the first full-scale welcome we've had since COVID-19. So I think there were definitely kinks that need to be worked out. I feel like this year, we were able to kind of like ride off that high from last year's Welcome Week and people were a lot more in tune. I think it was very well organized, credit to the planners and I feel like this was a very healing experience,” said Thang. 

Both He and Thang shared that they hope first years were able to put themselves out there during Welcome Week, whatever that looks like for them. 

Thang expressed that even if the social aspect of Welcome Week didn’t resonate with you,  there are endless activities and groups on campus throughout the year that may better fit your comfort level and personal goals.  

“The big takeaway would be. . .it's okay if you stay in your dorm. Its okay if like these huge crowds were daunting and you didn't want to put yourself out there and make yourself uncomfortable. There are limits to that and your feelings are still valid throughout,” said Thang. 

To see more coverage of Welcome Week 2023 visit the Silhouette on TikTok.