Arfi Hagi Yusuf | Features Editor
Featured photo: Students partake in the week-long orientation in preparation for the undergraduate journey that awaits them. | Photo courtesy of MK Media
With the first week of school underway, the week-long orientation known as frosh comes to a close. Every year, incoming students across the globe come together and participate in a frosh week that involves chants, cheers, parties and icebreaker games, along with various other activities.
Students who had classes this past Thursday or Friday inevitably saw the hordes of new students in matching attire walking in chaotic uniform.
Here at York, frosh is hosted a week later than most schools in the GTA and done in a unique manner. Frosh occurs in one’s designated college, divided by programs. The planning of orientation starts in May with the choosing of students to spearhead this orientation. Like clockwork, the buzz begins, as students debate whether frosh is worth the hype, and more importantly, worth the price tag.
Frosh kits are not included with first-year students’ tuition and prices differ among colleges. These kits come with a week full of entry passes to events and a swag bag containing goodies, including a college shirt and a lanyard. The price is often what causes uneasiness among incoming students and former froshies alike.
Noor Pirzada, first-year undecided student from Vanier College, didn’t attend his frosh this year. “I felt people tried too hard to sell it to me. Personally, I don’t feel like I need to spend $100 on making friends.” These sentiments seem to follow with other students as well.
“I didn’t find it reasonable,” says Christa Boadi, first-year communications student who attended Winters’ frosh this year. “The frosh goody bags did have some helpful things for the school year, but there were not any other cool physical products like food, personal or school products or supplies.”
But York students don’t seem to have a unanimous vote on the pricing around frosh. Jaskaran Aujla, first-year business administrative student, attended Schulich’s frosh and seemed content with the price range of the kit.
“The pricing for frosh was perfect. I ended up paying $130 with the Stong Pit Party included. You get to make lifelong friends and you just simply get to understand the community in your program. It also helps you get used to the environment around you, allowing you to be happier overall. Frosh itself, even though the tickets were $130 for me, costs well over $250 due to commuting and food, but that was all personal expenses that I would’ve had to go through on a regular school day without the actual fun aspect.”
Frosh’s timing and events schedule is another highly disputed topic among students. York is notoriously known as a commuter school and common discussion in the York halls is whether the orientation caters to commuters.
“Frosh itself was really commuter-friendly in terms of having commuter rooms available on really late nights and also just overall timing for every event,” says Aujla.
The students interviewed appeared to have unanimously agreed that despite the heresy, frosh was both accessible and fun for commuters and res-students alike.
Frosh carries a party-central stigma and this seemed to scare away some potential froshies.
“I find it tiring to party and whatnot before classes. I would have preferred after [classes],” says Pirzada.
Boadi agrees. “There are some events that may not be as enjoyable or [students’] parents may not approve of them participating in the late events.”
When asked if frosh was something that added to their university experience, frosh leaders and froshies seemed to unanimously agree that it was a beneficial. A common theme followed that becoming a frosh leader was something that was inspired by altruism, beginning in admiration of their former frosh leaders.
“Frosh was one of the most memorable weeks of my university life,” says Shasanji Lingaratnam, fourth-year psychology student and Calumet frosh leader from 2013 to 2015. “I personally loved my frosh and have rarely met anyone who has ever regretted going to frosh. It’s a great way to meet new people, make new friends and to be familiar with the way York works. It also very memorable and is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. Transitioning into university can often be scary and daunting, but frosh makes that process a lot easier.”
“I had such a positive experience in first year when I attended frosh,” says Ashley Glovasky, former Winters frosh leader in 2010 and York alumna. “So when applications were being accepted the following year to become a frosh boss, I wanted to be a part of that to help others like me have a good time.”
“I wanted to become an o-leader so that I could help incoming students. I’m a really big advocate for York and everything the school and community have to offer,” says Jodie Vanderslot, third-year children studies and psychology student and current frosh leader for Vanier college.
Despite the diverse and scattered responses and the buzz in the halls, students seemed to agree that frosh is a memorable experience. When it comes to the week-long orientation, the one rule of thumb that appeared unanimous was making the most out of the decision you made; whether you decided to participate or not. Like most things in life, frosh is much more enjoyable when you stand by your decision and put your heart into it.
