Ready to Roam provides new students with an idea of what to expect in their first days on campus in the fall. This year, the event took place on July 30, with over a thousand students attending! New students familiarized themselves with the environment by joining tours, got a feel for classes with a Mini Lecture, learned academic success strategies, and broke down the differences between high school and university.

UM Essentials is a set of online modules that new Bisons can complete at their own pace, from home. The content features a wide array of topics, so students will discover strategies for taking on their first classes, university resources to help them succeed, wellness advice, tips on getting involved in student life, and the values and guidelines that keep the university a respectful and safe community. All incoming students are automatically enrolled in UM Essentials in August, so they can complete it at any time and refer back throughout the year. The online resource is also a great way for new students to familiarize themselves with the UM Learn interface, as the site also hosts all course homepages.

Prep Week is the best way to immerse yourself in the campus community! On August 26 and 27, all new students are invited to the Fort Garry campus where they can participate in university skills workshops, attend a special panel presentation, play games, and meet peers! The main component of Prep Week is a series of workshop sessions led by Student Affairs staff who specialize in supporting students by building their academic skillsets. Topics will include writing, academic integrity, study tips, and self-care. The panel discussion, titled “What I Wish I Knew,” features upper-years students providing the advice they would’ve liked to have when they started their journeys at UM. Additionally, there will be a Zoom webinar on August 28 about essential research and writing skills.

Welcome Day is the day before the start of classes, and it’s the grand finale of our orientation programming! To start, students are assigned homerooms for the day. Next, students will make their way to the Pep Rally to celebrate joining the herd! In the afternoon, students can enjoy the Carnival with new and old friends. Look forward to food, inflatable games, a photo book, a DJ, and more! If students still have questions before starting classes the next day, there will still be campus tours running through the afternoon, and they can stop by the Welcome Day Info Fair for more information on campus resources.

Are you starting your university journey with us this September? Ogechi Agba, Transition Events Coordinator, has a few words of advice:

“This is your first year at UM! Make the most of orientation by taking part in opportunities that have been created just for you. Meet new people with common interests and get an advantage by becoming familiar with the expectations and resources available to you.”

Participating in orientation programming is the best way to start off the new academic year on the right foot. That means knowing your way around, strengthening your academic skills, discovering resources to support your success and wellness through the year, and getting to know your peers. Check out the Fall Orientation website to discover more programming details and register for the events!

We are so excited for new Bisons to join the herd!

From August 29 to September 2, Prep Week will introduce you to the people and places you’ll encounter in the UM community, and give you information that will set you up for success in university. This week-long event will consist of sessions and workshops to help you settle into student life at UM.

All Prep Week Sessions are delivered virtually. Find the Zoom links in the Prep Week UM Learn course.

These are just some of the examples of what you’ll find on the Prep Week schedule:

• Morning Meetups: Start each morning in a virtual meet up group with students in similar courses. Connect with your future classmates while meeting other students in higher level classes!
• Workshops: These online sessions will help you develop the skills and habits that can help you achieve academic success. From time management techniques to academic writing skills and maintaining wellness as a student, you’ll hear practical advice from seasoned students and professionals.
• Special Lectures: Have you ever been in a university lecture setting? Join virtually via Zoom or in person (room 290 Education Bldg) as a real UM prof offers a snapshot of what a UM lecture is like. Learn what professors expect students to take away from a lecture, tips on how to study the content best, and how you might be tested on class material.
• Faculty Sessions: Faculties and departments will present information on the resources, supports and opportunities offered to students in their programs. This is a chance to broaden your horizons and learn about what’s out there!
• Student Communities: Use these virtual sessions to meet other students with similar interests and backgrounds to build your network of peers. The social aspect of the university experience is a unique part of your life, and we’re proud to have such a diverse student community.

We’re here to help you make the best of your first year! Be sure to register for as many sessions as you want. Stay updated with Prep Week to see registration details, the full schedule and any important announcements. All new students who have registered for the fall term have been added to the Prep Week course in UM Learn. Returning students, or anyone who has not been added to the course can contact Orientation@umanitoba.ca to be added.

Prep Week is only one of the many opportunities and events available to new students! Visit UM Commons for everything related to the first year experience.

“UM Commons Live provided students with an opportunity to meet new people and along with other on-campus initiatives, brought a fresh energy back to the Fort Garry campus,” Brandy Usick, executive director, Student Engagement and Success says. “Over the next few months, we’ll be looking for ways to reconnect with students as we ease back into more on-campus activity.” 

Under tents in the Quad, students were able to find information on campus sustainability, get career advice and have tours of campus. Staff were excited to hand out information and interact with students in-person for the first time in months. Billy the Bison visited every day, bringing high fives and good cheer. There was a drum circle lead by spiritual care coordinator Edgar French and student support case worker Jesse Singer, and student services navigators from the Virtual Advising Help Centre were on hand to support students with general questions and referral to services. 

Through UM Essentials, an eight-module online course, students learned about the university’s expectations for their academic and personal behaviour as well as how to navigate coursework through UM Learn. UM Essentials is available to students throughout the next year, so if you have not yet completed these modules, you can log on and complete them now.  

Prep Week featured a full schedule of online workshops, lectures and social gatherings, with some sessions seeing upwards of 700 students in attendance. The most popular were skill-based workshops, including those on time management, group work strategies and academic writing. Recordings of the Prep Week sessions are available in the  UM Learn course. If you are not able to access the course, email umessentials@umanitoba.ca and ask to be added. 

Nearly 3000 students registered for Welcome Day, logging in for the virtual kick-off of the new academic year with messages from university administration, alumni and upper-level students wishing them well on their UM journey. Students spent the day in sessions familiarizing themselves with all aspects of university life. View the welcome ceremony and the sessions offered on September 7. 

If you missed UM Commons Live and have not yet received your Welcome Package, you can pick one up at the First Year Centre (205 Tier Building) or at UMSU in University Centre, while supplies last.  

STAY IN TOUCH 

For everything you need to know as a first year student, visit UM Commons, an online hub where you can get connected to your classmates, find a mentor and more. Plus, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @umfirstyearcentre and @umstudent.

 Welcome Day (September 7) 

Join us on September 7 to celebrate the beginning of a new academic year virtually. You’ll start the day by being officially welcomed to UM by the President, Chancellor and others at the Welcome Ceremony. Then you’ll meet with your Welcome Day group to hear about what you can expect as you begin your first year of university studies. In the afternoon, connect with your faculties or gain advice from students who were in your shoes last year. 

Join Welcome Day now

Prep Week (August 30-September 3) 

Start your day by meeting up with your classmates and upper level students for a morning check in before you start your day. 

Check out the Prep Week schedule, and identify the sessions you want to register for. Here are just some examples of what will be offered: 

• Get tips for skills-based learning, including strategies to master online learning, time management, planning study sessions, working well in a group, academic writing, tutoring, and much more. 
• Learn how you can have the best student experience, including a session with Bison Sports, tips on staying active while studying remotely, and introductions to various student communities where you can make connections and meet new friends. 
• Find out more about the many student supports and services available to you, including spiritual health, sexual violence awareness, accessibility, and more. 
• Get familiar with your faculty community at one of the faculty-led sessions. 
• Attend special lectures from UM Professors, like one about the history of comics and Indigenous representation in the medium  

This is your first year at UM! Make the most of it by taking part in opportunities that have been created just for you. Meet new people with common interests and get an advantage by becoming familiar with the expectations and resources available at your new school.   

View Prep Week 

 UM Commons: Live

If you are on campus Sept. 8, 9, 10, feel free to stop by UM Commons: Live in the Quad (look for our signs) and say “Hi!”. Students, faculty and staff from Student Affairs and other units will be on hand to answer questions, provide tours of campus and provide other helpful information.  

 Stay in Touch

For everything you need to know as a first year student, visit UM Commons, an online hub where you can get connected to your classmates, participate in events, find a mentor and more. Plus, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @umfirstyearcentre and @umstudent. 

Although COVID-19 has transformed the university experience, students starting their first year at UM this fall are confident and prepared thanks to UM’s First Year Experience: a series of new online initiatives aimed at readying them for university life.

“We recognized that this year’s incoming students were in a unique situation having had their high school graduating year cut short by the pandemic and then waiting months before returning to their studies,” says Brandy Usick, Executive Director, Student Engagement & Success. “It wasn’t a normal transition into university. This was our way of helping them feel a little bit more confident by preparing them for the year ahead.”

Connecting to UM whenever, wherever

Launched in July, UM Commons is the go-to information hub for new students to discover events, connect with staff and services, or join peer tutor programs and student communities. From the start, students were eager to connect. Within its first month UM Commons received 29,667 views – nearly eight times the amount normally received on the university’s orientation pages.

Learning the ropes

What does it mean to join the UM community? Through UM Essentials – an eight-module online course – students learned about our university’s expectations for their academic and personal behaviour as well as how to navigate coursework through UM Learn.

Over 450 students also signed up for Math Bootcamp, an innovative online self-guided study created by the Faculty of Science. The three-week-long summer camp was designed to boost students’ math skills before they entered a university classroom.

“Practice is the key to developing a deeper understanding of mathematics,” says Avleen Kaur, a TA in the program. “Math Bootcamp provided a large variety of study material such as modules, worksheets, quizzes and live tutorials. By solving all of it, the students felt confident about having a strong start.”

Meeting our community

At a time when students would normally be exploring campus and meeting new friends, Prep Week (Aug. 31-Sept. 4) and Welcome Day (Sept. 8) brought the energy of our campus community online.

Nearly 2,000 first-year students logged in to Welcome Day to virtually kick-off the new academic year, while over 1,500 students registered for Prep Week to familiarize themselves with all aspects of university life.

Each day featured a full-schedule of online workshops, lectures and social gatherings, with some sessions seeing upwards of 500 students in attendance. By far the most popular were skill-based workshops, including those on time management (presented by First Year Centre); group work strategies (offered by Student Engagement and Success); and academic writing (led by the Academic Learning Centre together with Libraries, the Academic Integrity Coordinator and writing tutors).

Some professors also prepared special lectures on engaging topics that also doubled as a guide for navigating coursework and the responsibilities of being a student. These included:

• “How friends and family protect us from the biological wear-and-tear of stress” (Dr. Ryan Giuliano);
  
• “Handling conflict effectively” (Dr. Lukas Neville);
  
• “The science of sedentary behaviour: How sitting less and moving more can improve health and academic achievement” (Dr. Navjot Pachu);
  
• “Welcome to Treaty One” (Dr. Niigaanwewidam Sinclair); and,
  
• “Computing Creatively for the good of humanity” (Dr. Celine Latulipe).

Beyond coursework, an integral part of the university experience is interacting with others on campus – a challenging feat in these times of social distancing.

“Part of the appeal of coming to university is expanding yourself and growing and meeting new people,” says Usick. “That’s what makes the first month so exciting, so electric. We had to find a way to help students feel there’s a community of people here for them.”

Some sessions, like “homeroom meetups”, gave new students the opportunity to virtually connect with fellow classmates and upper-level students every day, while others provided space for groups like UMSU and The Womyn’s Centre to explain their purpose and activities.

The online student hub, UM Commons, categorizes the over 200 student communities based on interest, making it even easier for students to connect outside of class.

At a time when social distancing can hinder meaningful connection, UM students, staff and faculty have found ways to overcome the challenge together.

“Every aspect of UM’s First Year Experience initiative has been thoughtfully developed in keeping with our institutional commitment to deliver an outstanding student experience,” says Laurie Schnarr, Vice-Provost (Students). “I am immensely grateful to colleagues from across the University who enthusiastically contributed engaging content to help new students feel welcomed and prepared for the year ahead. This was truly a team effort.”

As the Fall Term progresses, so too will the First Year Experience. Further programming has been planned for the remainder of the academic year to ensure UM’s newest students have the resources they need to thrive and excel.

Prep Week (August 31-September 4)

Start your day by meeting up with your classmates and upper level students for a morning check in before you start your day.

Check out the Prep Week schedule, and identify the sessions you want to register for. Here are just some of the topics that will be offered in the sessions:

• Tips for skills-based learning including strategies to master online learning, time management, planning study sessions, working well in a group, academic writing, tutoring, and much more.
• Learn how you can have the best student experience, including a session with Bison Sports, tips on staying active while studying remotely, and be introduced to various student communities where you can make connections and meet new friends.
• Find out more about all of the student supports and services available to you, including student counselling, spiritual health, sexual violence awareness, accessibility, and many more.
• There will be faculty-led sessions, which will help you get familiar with your faculty community.
• Learn about Treaty One, and what it means to work with Indigenous Peoples effectively and competently.

This is your first year at UM! Make the most of it by taking part in opportunities that have been created just for you. Meet new people with common interests, and get an advantage by becoming familiar with the expectations and resources available at your new school.  

Registration for Prep Week is now open! Visit our event webpage to check out all the session options and complete your registration.

Welcome Day (September 8)

Welcome Day, is traditionally the Tuesday after Labour Day, right before classes start, and this year is no different. Join us on September 8 to get together to celebrate the beginning of a new academic year. You’ll start the day by being officially welcomed to UM by the President, Chancellor and more at the Welcome Ceremony. Then you’ll meet with your Welcome Day group to hear what to expect as you begin your first year of university studies and in the afternoon participate in fun activities.

Register for Welcome Day now!