O week stands for “Orientation week”, it can also be called fresher week, which is held every year by almost all the universities around the world. Normally it’s held to showcase the university or the college to the fresh students, and most of the time the second existing students help during the congregations.
Orientation week is a way to know what the university has on offer. This can be mentioning each department, each programme, accommodation, clubs and societies, shops around the university, sports venues at the university and around it, discount places, and the list can go on. The week also showcases health issues and clinics, such as food allergies, halal food, dentists, and doctors as well as online stores around the university.
O week also has sales, music shows, art shows, and anything that the university wants you to dig into and entice you to stay. A lot of students use O week as an indicator of the health of the university. The shows, the games and the food are all free, and one can have a jolly time during that week. If one is strategic, a daily visit to each department is worth it, as one can see the various activities and the offerings in that department. Of course, it’s important to note that for students who go to universities and don’t have a major in mind, an O week would help them make the decision.
I started my university life in the ’70s, and I do not remember if I had an O week then, however it’s a tradition for almost all universities around the world. I have attended O weeks with my own children and had a lot of my questions answered.
This tradition has strengthened the life of new students who are confused, as they don’t know where to go and which classroom is allocated for them. Some students also needed to know if they are eligible for scholarships of some sort or want to know if there is a perc that they can be entitled to, O week helps them find the answers needed. You will also make many friends during Oweek as well.
Here are some videos about O week: