Frosh week is back on Canadian campuses — but it’s not what it used to be.
Once focused on parties and socializing, orientation weeks today increasingly feature a mix of informal and structured programming that aims to give students a “soft landing” into campus life.
“In the past, it would have been that a student would receive an email after they registered … one giant itinerary, and you’re ‘in’, or maybe you step away and you’re ‘out’, and you don’t show up,” said Emily Huynh, associate director of student experience at the University of Victoria.
“We realized … [that we need to] give more specific information on what you may expect to experience, allowing students to opt in and out and to build their own schedule.”
Sources say shifts in how students socialize, live and spend money are all affecting how students engage at the start of the academic year — and how universities cater to them.
Frosh week
Frosh week is the period before classes begin when universities, student unions and student groups host events to welcome and integrate new students.
Shawna Bava, director of the Centre for Career and Personal Development at the University of Calgary, says orientation is about welcoming students into a community.
“[Orientation] helps students build confidence, make friends and really get to know the supports available to them,” she said.
“[R]esearch does show that when students feel a sense of belonging early on, they’re more likely to thrive both academically and personally.”
During the pandemic, universities shifted most of their orientation activities online. But since 2023, they have returned to mostly in-person events.
Matthew Ramsey, director of University Affairs at the University of British Columbia, says the university has seen strong growth in student engagement in frosh week following the pandemic. In 2025, 4,800 students participated in Jump Start, their orientation days for first-year students, up from 3,500 in 2019.
“We’ve seen a lot of interest since the pandemic in students regaining opportunities for personal connections,” he said. “They want to make friends.”
Bava, of the University of Calgary, agrees. The university saw record levels of engagement with their “speed-friending” event last year, with more than 2,000 participants.
This year, the university’s two-day central orientation will also include faculty sessions, barbecues, carnival games and a football game.
Abby Goldstein, director of the Psychology of Emerging Adulthood Research Lab at the University of Toronto, says these large social events can be intimidating or overwhelming for some students.
“For students who generally don’t do well in large groups, they feel overwhelmed by those situations,” she said.
Even before the pandemic, young adults were spending more time online, reporting higher levels of loneliness and becoming less comfortable navigating in-person social interactions, she says.
“The pandemic accelerated that trend and emerging adults became increasingly comfortable with navigating social relationships in the online world,” she said.
Some universities are responding by making their frosh weeks more modular in format and low key. The University of Victoria, for example, lets students opt in or out of activities such as faculty sessions, low-key events like craft nights and resources on consent culture.
“[Orientation week] has been known to be called the ‘Red Zone’,” said Huynh. “This is the time of year where we do still see spikes of incidents of sexualized violence, so a big piece of it is also awareness-building.”
In 2020, the university also launched a “Year One” Instagram account to give incoming students practical guidance on moving in, navigating campus life and accessing local services.
The account runs weekly post-orientation check-ins, where students can share how they are doing and ask questions through interactive Instagram Stories.
The University of Manitoba now runs a summer orientation series where students engage incrementally, attending smaller homerooms or faculty sessions before the large-scale Welcome Day in September.
Financial strain
Another dynamic affecting campus life at some universities is the increasing share of students who continue living at home while attending school.
In 2021, 57 per cent of Canadians aged 20 to 24 lived with their parents, according to Statistics Canada, up from 42 per cent four decades before.
Goldstein says living on campus helps students take steps toward independence by establishing their own routines, taking responsibility for their schoolwork and learning about financial literacy.
“[L]iving on campus is like a stepping stone [into independence],” she said.
Students who live at home are less likely to engage in university activities. A 2023 University of Iowa study found nearly 80 per cent of on-campus students got involved in student organizations, versus about 60 per cent of off-campus students.
High living and tuition costs can also leave many students feeling financially strained — and less able to participate. Tuition fees for Canadian undergraduate students have steadily risen over the past decade, averaging about $7,500 in 2024, up 55 per cent from 2008.
These financial strains can “make it very difficult for [students] to feel engaged,” said Goldstein, particularly for those who also hold down jobs.
“Not only are they doing the academic pieces, but they’re balancing that with having to work a number of hours in order to financially support themselves.”
‘Sense of belonging’
Sources say it is important that new students find ways to engage, even if they feel overwhelmed, financially strained or disconnected from campus.
“A sense of belonging at school is not just good from a social perspective,” said Goldstein. “It is also a good predictor of academic success and reduces attrition.”
“Making the choice not to participate in frosh week is really about reducing their emotional stress … [but] sometimes that leads them out of being able to connect with others and have a sense of belonging.”
Goldstein recommends students who find large group situations intimidating seek out smaller activities instead.
“If you know that you’re not someone who really does well in large group situations, it’s good to take up smaller things,” she said.
Huynh echoed this advice.
“If [frosh or orientation] spaces aren’t for you, or if you show up late, or you’re just too nervous to stay, keep your eyes peeled and your ears open to what other opportunities may still be present,” she said.
And students should recognize that missing frosh week is not the end of social opportunities.
The University of Victoria is expanding its offerings beyond initial orientation. This year, it will run something called “First Year Fridays” at its Student Life Hub to enable students to drop in each week for coffee, resources and opportunities to connect in a low-key environment.
“It’s never too late to find your inroad,” said Huynh.
