What is a 0-week?

What is a 0-week?

O-Week is the most vibrant event that students attend in their first year of college

If you are anxious to leave your home country to study abroad, the feeling is normal. The change in people, surroundings, and culture when going to study abroad is not a small change. To help international students get comfortable with their new environment and adapt easily, most universities and colleges abroad organise an Orientation Week or O-week events. During this O-week, students have a chance to get familiarised with their campus life. They can make new friends and learn about the culture and services of the university. It’s a great way to start a new college life and comfortably sink into a new environment.

Activities in O-week

Here are a few things you can look out for during the 0-week:

1. College tours

Students can go on a college tour with their new friends. This helps them understand the orientation of the campus, where each building is placed and where to go for different purposes like finances, for taking different classes, fun activities, sports areas, parks, food, etc. This is one of the most important parts of 0-week, giving a much better understanding of the working of the university.

2. Informative sessions

It’s worth attending these sessions, as you will get to know about important things like overseas exchanges, study tours, work scenarios while studying, etc. These sessions prevent you from getting lost in the new environment.

3. University events

University unions and senior students organise various interesting and quirky events to build connections with the newcomers. Activities such as games, raffles, competitions, movie nights, breakfast, impromptu makeovers, sausage sizzles and pub crawl become an ice-breaker between the seniors and newcomers. You should participate in these events to become more comfortable with the people around you and make strong connections.

4. Club stalls

Student clubs are the best way to learn something new while you are pursuing higher studies abroad. You will get mesmerised by the variety of extra-curricular activities available, ranging from soccer, footy, lacrosse, netball and basketball to poetry societies, video game clubs, finance, business and many more. Be confident while walking to these stalls, ask questions and make friends. Joining these clubs could benefit you in your career further as it helps in developing extra skills and adds an edge to your resume for the employers.

5. Getting your ID in order

In case you were unable to receive your ID card or other things like enrolment number, etc., 0-week is the best time to get it in order. You can also get familiar with the other online services offered by the university that can help you sustain yourself easily on campus later. Your ID card is a great facilitator as you can avail various benefits like student concessions in public transport, cafes, bookstores and much more.

6. Special lectures

Some students may have their course lectures during 0-week as well. These help students to understand the kind of classes they will be attending in future and what can be expected during these sessions. This is when they can get to know about the course materials and recognise people in their cohort. Do check your timetable for these lectures.

Handy tips for O - week

Here are some handy tips to help you make the most of your university 0-week:

1. Get involved
   Participate in as many activities during the 0-week as you can. Don’t be afraid to interact with new people or try new things. Be confident and enjoy your 0-week as this is what will help set the tone for your year ahead. You can attend welcome lectures, live music events, barbecues, pub crawls, etc.
2. Make friends
   0-week is the best time to make friends as people around are stress-free and have time to interact, as in normal days they will be busy attending lectures and working part-time. Be yourself, try to have a fruitful conversation with students around and find good companions for your college days. Now you have to be around them for a long time.
3. Explore your campus
   Moving around your campus helps you save time in the future especially when you have to attend lectures in different buildings or blocks in that huge university campus. The best is to opt for an organised university tour, if you don’t have one then you can ask your seniors or professors to show you around and brief you about the services.
   
   The key to enjoying your 0-week is being organised and keeping an eye on what’s happening when. Don’t feel overwhelmed as there are many students like who would feel the same. This is the right opportunity to connect and make new friends. And if you still need the feel to talk to someone, connect with one of our expert counsellors who can guide you throughout.