As September begins each year, a new batch of young adults (or old teenagers, depending on how you’d like to describe them) fresh from high school move away from their hometowns to new cities where they will attend university to learn about the subject of their choice. For me, as for most of you, the university was Waterloo, and the subject was engineering. As I arrived in my new home in REV on Monday afternoon and my many milk crates full of possessions were whisked upstairs by a cheerful crowd of friendly students, anxiety twisted the pit of my stomach. Living in a city like Waterloo on a bustling university campus would be completely different from living and going to high school in Sydenham, Ontario (ever heard of it? I didn’t think so…). My mind buzzed with worries and questions. (Would I get enough sleep in REV? Would I get along with my roommate? Will I get along with other engineers? Did I bring enough pillows? I don’t think I brought enough pillows. I should get more pillows…). After meeting my roommate and other floormates at the residence events (surprisingly few engineers in REV), I got a few hours of sleep for the night (I did have enough pillows).
I woke up bright and early on Tuesday. The morning sun shone down on the university campus as swarms of bright-eyed and nervous first year engineering students followed coloured trails of yarn and chalk arrows to their respective Frosh week headquarters. Many of these students, myself included, had no idea what awaited them at their headquarters, and they anxiously imagined what was to come. (How does one “Earn” their hardhat? What is this “Junkyard Wars” that starts so early on Thursday morning? What will Friday night’s Scavenger Hunt entail? And why-oh-why must I write an English exam on Wednesday?) None of us could have anticipated the intense and fast-paced week that was to come.
Tuesday began with meeting some of the many other engineers in the same frosh week colour group; I was on the lurple team (a.k.a. the X-men). I met more people in that first hour than I could possibly remember, then the rest of the lurple frosh and I were whisked away to a lecture hall somewhere. I don’t remember most of what that was about, but I do remember one thing that happened while we were there; it was arguably the most memorable event of frosh week:
A door opened with a bang and the lights flickered on and off. An intimidating group of people adorned in chains and rather impressive hairstyles stormed in menacingly, bearing an assortment of makeshift weapons which ranged from a simple crowbar to a rather deadly looking sledgehammer. They ignored the many incredulous and confused frosh seated around the classroom as they strode forward, their expressions cruel, their eyes hidden by dark sunglasses. Somewhere between shock and awe, we gazed on, dumbfounded. None of us frosh had been expecting this. This was the ultimate force to be feared during frosh week, above both Enders and Defenders. This was EDCOM. As EDCOM spoke, one question sprung to my mind: They weren’t really our TAs… were they?
It was made clear to us what our primary (if not only) focus was for the week: impress EDCOM. We were given out first chance later that afternoon during our first event: Earn Your Hardhat (and they meant earn it.) It was an intense and eventful afternoon, and after being stuffed in a van with over forty other frosh, launching myself down a makeshift waterslide, scrambling through an obstacle course and racing through a pit of mud over the backs of team lurple’s Bigs, EDCOM finally deemed us worthy of our coveted yellow hardhat. Even though all the frosh got a hardhat, I couldn’t help but feel proud of myself as I donned the bright yellow headwear. It was my first accomplishment as an engineering student, and it felt good.
The rest of the week passed by in a blur, and though the days seemed too long and tiring while they happened, in the blink of an eye, frosh week was over. The English exam wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be, and Junkyard Wars was incredibly fun, even if my team didn’t win. Meeting the Tool was an incredible (if somewhat cult-like) experience. Friday night’s scavenger hunt was fantastic, and the events were probably the most enjoyable part of the week (I’d never been duct-taped to a wall before). As the week ended, I was disappointed that lurple didn’t win, but also glad that the defenders had successfully saved the world. Frosh week was probably one of the most enjoyable weeks I’ve ever had, and I feel like I owe a thanks to all the leader: Bigs, Huges, EDCOM, the FOC, and everyone else who helped make frosh week happen. Thank you so much from all of us frosh! Without all of you, the first week of university would be much more frightening and stressful.
Most of my worries about fitting in or getting along with other people at school had been quelled after frosh week; as I write this I’m going into my second week of classes and different worries buzz around my mind, (Will I be able to stay awake in my classes tomorrow morning? I’m already drinking three cups of coffee a day… Why is EIT 1015 so darn cold? Will I have enough hours in the day to keep up with my classes? Is “because the name sounded cool” a good enough reason to choose nanotechnology engineering? Will I ever be able to read my linear algebra professor’s writing?) but everything seems much more manageable after that incredible frosh week. I start week # 2 feeling incredibly glad that I’m at Waterloo, and very certain that this school is where I belong.
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