Frosh Week Tips: What to Know Before Your First Week
The best frosh week tips are simple: pack for long days outside (water, sunscreen, comfy shoes, a phone charger), say yes to the group activities early, swap socials with people you click with on day one, and skip anything that doesn't feel right without apologizing. Frosh week is your university's orientation week, so the goal is to meet people and learn the campus, not to survive every party.
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What frosh week is (frosh week meaning)
"Frosh" is Canadian slang for a first-year student, short for freshman. Frosh week is the orientation week before classes start. In the US it's usually called orientation or O-week. In the UK it's freshers' week.
A typical frosh week has:
- Team or faculty groups with frosh leaders (upper-year students) who run games and chants
- Campus tours and info sessions
- Concerts, socials and themed days
- Residence events if you live on campus
- A frosh kit: usually a T-shirt, a bandana or lanyard, and some freebies
Every school runs it differently. Some call it something else entirely (UBC, for example, has Imagine Day), and big schools in Toronto often run separate events by college, faculty or residence. Check your school's orientation page for the exact schedule, cost and whether you need to register.
Is frosh week worth it?
For most people, yes, especially if you're moving away from home. It's the one week when everybody is new and actively trying to meet people. Even if half the events aren't your thing, the other half give you faces you'll recognize in class.
What to bring (frosh week packing list)
Frosh days are long, loud and mostly outdoors. Pack light but smart.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Refillable water bottle | Hours of walking and cheering |
| Phone charger or power bank | You'll be swapping Instagram and Snap all day |
| Sunscreen and a hat | Early September can still be hot |
| Comfy shoes you don't care about | Paint, mud and dance floors happen |
| Light rain jacket | Weather in Canada changes fast |
| Student ID and a bit of cash or a card | Food trucks, transit, pizza runs |
| Small backpack or tote | For the frosh kit and freebies |
| Snacks | Event food runs out |
What to wear to frosh
Usually your frosh shirt plus whatever's comfy. Some days have themes (color days, faculty colors). Bring one outfit you feel good in for the evening events. You'll meet more people when you're not thinking about your clothes.
How to meet people at frosh
Here's the honest truth: you won't become best friends with everyone in your frosh group. You don't need to. You need three or four people you'd text "you going to this?" by Friday.
Day one moves
- Talk to whoever is next to you in line. "Which res are you in?" or "What program are you in?" works every time.
- Learn your frosh leaders' names. They know everyone and love introducing people.
- Swap socials early. "Wait, what's your Insta? I'll add you to the group chat."
- Sit with new people at meals. Not the same three every time.
Frosh week ideas for breaking the ice
- Offer to take someone's photo, then ask them to take yours.
- Compliment something specific ("That bandana tie is elite, how'd you do it?").
- Ask for help: "Do you know where the engineering building is?"
- Suggest a small plan: "We should grab food after this."
The small plan is the move most people skip. A conversation is nice. A plan turns it into a friendship.
How to make friends in residence during frosh
If you live in residence, your floor does a lot of frosh events together. Prop your door open in the evenings and go to the floor meeting. Our full guide on how to make friends in the dorms covers residence, US dorms and UK halls.
This is the part people overthink at 1am: did I seem weird, did I talk too much, why did I go silent when the group got big? Replaying it alone doesn't help much.
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If you don't drink or party
Lots of people don't, and most schools now run alcohol-free frosh events. Sober frosh is a real, normal thing.
- Look for dry events on the schedule: games nights, trivia, movie screenings, campus scavenger hunts.
- Have a simple line ready: "I'm good, thanks" is enough. You don't owe anyone a reason.
- Hold a drink anyway if it helps you feel less on display. A can of pop works.
- Leave early guilt-free. Saying "I'm heading out, see you tomorrow" is not rude.
- Find your people. There are always others skipping the bar crawl. Ask who's getting late-night food instead.
If anything at frosh feels unsafe, pressured or like hazing, leave and tell a frosh leader, residence don or campus security. Schools take this seriously.
Pacing your energy
Frosh week is a marathon of being "on". Even extroverts crash by Thursday.
- Pick your must-do events the night before. Skip one or two without FOMO.
- Sleep at least one decent night mid-week.
- Eat real meals, not just free pizza.
- Take 20 minutes alone in your room between day and night events.
- Expect a dip. Feeling a bit low or homesick mid-week is common. It usually passes once classes give your days a shape.
If you're an introvert, plan recovery like you'd plan an event. Frosh week for introverts works best as "go hard, then recharge, then go again."
After frosh: keep the friends
Frosh week ends and suddenly everyone scatters into classes. This is where friendships quietly fade, unless you act.
- Message your frosh group chat in week two: "Anyone want to get food after class Thursday?"
- Invite one person to something specific, like a club fair or a study session.
- Join a club or team so you see people weekly. Our list of the best uni societies to join works for Canadian clubs too.
- Say yes to the second hangout. The first one is easy. The second one is where it sticks.
That's the last of our frosh week tips: frosh is the start, not the finish.
Walk into frosh already feeling like yourself
You get one frosh week, so it's worth walking in with your presence sorted. In the next minute Aura asks 16 questions, gives you an aura tier and a 14-move plan, like "One beat longer" for eye contact. It's a one-time payment with nothing to cancel, runs in your browser and signs in with Google.
FAQ
What does frosh week mean?
Frosh week is the orientation week for first-year university students, mostly used in Canada. "Frosh" means first-year student. It's a mix of tours, team games, socials and residence events before classes begin.
What should I bring to frosh week?
Bring a water bottle, a power bank, sunscreen, comfy shoes you don't mind ruining, a light rain jacket, your student ID and a small bag. Most events are outdoors and run all day, so pack for long hours on your feet.
Can you do frosh week without drinking?
Yes. Many schools run alcohol-free events, and plenty of students skip drinking entirely. Pick the dry events on the schedule, keep a simple "I'm good, thanks" ready and find the others getting late-night food instead.
Is frosh week mandatory?
Usually not, though some programs or residences strongly encourage it, and a few info sessions may be required. Check your school's orientation page. Even if it's optional, it's the easiest week of the year to meet people.
What are the best frosh week tips for introverts?
Pick a few must-do events instead of all of them, schedule time alone to recharge and focus on small groups rather than the biggest party. Two or three real conversations a day is a great frosh week.