Discover Engineering

F!rosh Week

Albert Huynh // TrackOne + Chemical Engineering 1T2 // Aug 19, 2010

Before I even begin: COME TO F!ROSH WEEK! IT WILL BE AMAZING! Allow me to elaborate with a little story…
“Ahh! How can it already be 9:20 a.m.?” I thought as I raced down the street towards Front Campus, late for my first day of university. But it wasn’t an early morning lecture that I was dashing to catch (though there would be plenty of those to come); no, it was the first day of F!rosh week!

After seeing the pictures on the orientation website and hearing all of the crazy stories about F!rosh week, I was a little intimidated, especially since I didn’t know any friends of mine who would be there. Things only got more stressful as I reached the field on Front Campus, only to be met with over a dozen massive groups of engineering students; needless to say, trying to find my own group was just a bit of a challenge.

Figuring that I should just go ahead and ask somebody for help, I approached the first group that I saw. In a strange twist of events, instead of directing me to my assigned group, they welcomed me into theirs with open arms.

As we waited for the opening ceremonies (a.k.a. matriculation), the group leaders took the time to teach us some of the most fundamental engineering cheers and hymns, and after a few rounds of practice, a volunteer was asked to step up and lead a cheer. After deliberating for a while, I decided it would be fitting to start off my time at university with some new experiences, so I promptly threw up my hand and stepped forward.

And so, there I was, yelling at the top of my lungs, cheering with people that I had only just met, and let me tell you, that feeling was incredible! It was in that moment that all of my uncertainty and fear was wiped clear, and it was then that I realized that this was going to be the best week of my life.

After finally moving through matriculation and picking up our F!rosh kits (loaded with tonnes of cool swag like our engineering hardhats), we headed for the purple dye station, where we also got a fine lesson in hardhat protection (as they are often prone to thievery by students in other faculties). The lesson came not a moment too soon as a seemingly innocent student walking his bike beside us swooped in and attempted to ride off with one of our hardhats. Luckily, through the combined efforts of the group, we were able to chase him down and get it back, protecting the honour of the engineers.

Next up was the famous dye station. Although fully optional, it’s a highly encouraged engineering tradition to dye your whole body purple. To be quite honest, I went into that station being set on walking home clean, thinking that I really wouldn’t be missing out on much (was I ever wrong on that one). Luckily, after some encouragement from both my newfound friends and my already purple group leaders, I decided to take the plunge (much to my mother’s dismay). Although I did end up giving my bathtub a temporary purple tint after I got home, the feeling of pride and camaraderie that I was instilled with as I left that station was absolutely priceless.

After that, all of the groups started heading downtown for a massive purple parade through the core of the city, where more than a few times, we ran into rival frosh from the other colleges on campus. Needless to say, we all put our engineering cheers to very good use during some rather intense inter-college “yelling battles.”

To cap off the long parade was a full out, free-for-all water fight. “Where could you possibly find an open pool to fit so many people?” you might ask. Well in front of City Hall of course!
After getting back to campus, we were treated to a free dinner and a nice relaxing comedy double feature in one of the comfiest lecture halls around. AND THAT WAS JUST THE FIRST DAY!

As F!rosh week went on, we competed against each other in events ranging from 4-way dodgeball to recycling bin racing. We built human pyramids in the middle of the road to try and collect donations as part of the Charity Buskerfest, choreographed a fight routine as part of the Havenger Scunt, played “music” late into the night with the Lady Godiva Memorial Bnad at Hart House Farm, and so much more.

Most importantly, I was able to meet so many new people and take a huge leap out of my comfort zone and grow, not only building up a social circle, but also giving me the confidence and energy that I needed to get through the year.

And so to you, the incoming class of 1T4, I would highly encourage you to come out to F!rosh week, and when you’re here, don’t be afraid to throw your inhibitions to the wind, you’ll be greatly rewarded if you do; I know I definitely was. Yay Skule!