Belonging, community and new beginnings: A conversation with Ram on Orientation Week

Orientation Week (O-Week) at TMU is just around the corner, and a member from the Orientation week has told us that it is going to be the best way to ring in your first year of university! We spoke with Ram, an Orientation Events Lead who works for Student Life and Learning Support, and learned all about the planning process that goes behind exciting Orientation events. He also shared the events he’s most excited for and some helpful tips for students looking forward to attending orientation events this year.

Tell us about yourself.

Hi, my name is Ram. I am an international student from India. I’m going into my 4th year of Computer Science at TMU this fall, and am currently working on the Central Orientation team planning events for O-week.

How has your experience been working on Orientation?

I have been working on the O-team since last summer. Last year, I was planning events catered specifically to international students with the International Student Support (ISS) team, though I was still a part of Central Orientation. I learned so much over the course of those four months and met some of the best people I know through the experience. It has truly been one of the best, most exciting roller coasters of my university life.

That’s amazing! Career Boost roles often form an important part of student journeys. How has the transition been from last year to this year, as you step into a role which involves planning for a much larger student community?

It’s been interesting. I am so grateful to have the experience from last year before I stepped into something that involved even more responsibility. International Orientation was incredibly fun, and especially cathartic because I was catering to a community I understood well. I was one of them just a couple years ago!

This time however, the change is about more than the students I am targeting with the events I am in charge of. TMU also has a new five-year Academic Plan strategy from 2025-2030 which focuses on providing a holistic student experience and including global perspectives through collaboration. So while I am planning different events, I am still very much cognizant of the same overarching goals for students but on a bigger scale.

What are some of these goals you’re keeping in mind as you plan events?

One of the biggest ones is community! That’s what Orientation is all about — bringing students together on an elevated scale and making them feel at home on the TMU campus. I am so glad I get to be a part of this because the TMU campus has been my home away from home since the last few years. I want to impart that feeling to others, and also show them a great time! We have a lot of fun stuff planned this year. 

What’s the sign up process like?

Students can check out #RoadtoTMU to view the entire Orientation schedule and sign up for events. There are three kinds of experience passes to choose from:

• Orientation Pass: This gives you access to all orientation events, regardless of faculty or year.
• International Pass: This add-on pass is for international students only, and gives access to all international orientation events.
• Residence Pass: This add-on pass is for students living in Pitman Hall, ILC, or the DCC, and gives access to events planned for students in residence.

We also have a dedicated section for family, friends and supporters who wish to attend Orientation along with their students.

Make sure to select the add-ons if they apply to you so you can view all events planned for you. Students can create their own schedule and add events that they’d like to attend on their agenda. There are more than 100 events to choose from, in-person and online, happening all over campus. The website also generates a QR code specifically for your event schedule, which serves as your pass for the events you signed up for.

I love the easy access option! Tell me about the events you're most excited for.

That’s tough, we have such an extensive and exciting schedule this year! One I can’t wait for is Invocation, the event which kicks off O-week. I think this is the event that helps communicate to both us and new students that the Orientation fun has commenced. We also take a class picture and attempt to break a Guinness World Record each year. 

I’m also looking forward to SLC Live, which is another traditional orientation event we’ve had at TMU for years. Every floor of the Sheldon & Tracy Levy Student Learning Centre (SLC) is transformed into an activity-party zone with music, lights and lots of exciting booths where you can learn about TMU services. This year’s theme is Super Mario, which will give the entire building a video game feel. 

I am thrilled for Fiesta Del Fuego, an annual TMU concert that happens in the quad. We have had amazing local artists perform in the past, and this year we have an exciting lineup with DJs, singers and performance artists. I am also looking forward to the Annual Welcome Party for international students happening on the SLC 6th floor. The theme of the floor, along with the event, is Beach which means a lot of fun games, music and tropical vibes going all around. This event is a must-attend to meet friendly faces from the ISS team and an exciting community of students who will be more like family than friends through your student journey.

Which events do you think will really help international students find community?

I think each International Orientation event serves its own purpose. To find community and build meaningful friendships and connections, From Toronto, With Love: UnderGrad & Grad happening in the ISS office is a great event. Students will get postcards on which they can write notes and attach polaroids for their family, and we’ll post them to their home countries. It gives everyone a chance to talk about where they’re from and share stories from back home. Events like Life in Canada and Passport to Success give students the opportunity to meet upper-year international students and ask them questions about classes, city life, transit, housing, winter clothes and more! 

Which event do you think international students should not miss at any cost?

Easy, the City Immersion Tour for sure! This event takes students to see iconic Toronto landmarks such as the CN Tower, the Toronto sign, and glimpses of the financial district. It also goes through Sankofa Square, Berczy Park and finishes at Nathan Phillips Square for pictures. For new students who are unfamiliar with the city and still figuring out their way, this tour will help ground them and understand the area around the university. It also gives you an idea of the transit options nearby, along with grocery stores and food markets in the area.

This is such great information. Thank you, Ram! Do you have any final advice for new students who might be a bit nervous about university?

For incoming international students, the most important thing to do is enjoy! You’ve done the hard work of gathering documentation, doing paperwork, writing exams and essays and travelling. Now you get to enjoy this first week of university and meet people with whom you’ll spend the next few crucial years with. And if you have any questions or concerns, you’ll spot us all over campus during Orientation Week in pink t-shirts and members of the ISS team in blue t-shirts. Feel free to come up to us for a chat, that’s what we’re here for!

Where can students reach out if they have questions about Orientation or require support during events?

Students can directly email orientation@torontomu.ca or campusengagement@torontomu.ca for support. You can also specifically reach out to issask@torontomu.ca to get help from International Student Support. The Frequently Asked Questions section of the Orientation website also answers a lot of important questions that you may have. To get updates about all fun things planned for new students, you can follow @studentlifetmu (external link) , @iss_tmu (external link) , @trimentoring (external link)  or @choosetmu (external link)  on Instagram. See you at Orientation!