As their upper-year peers settle into another year of classes, incoming law students are ready to dive into their studies after a warm welcome to Queen’s last week.

The annual orientation week for first-year students ended last Thursday with a gala at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, capping off a week of day and evening events designed to let the incoming class “get to know one another in a casual, friendly environment.”

Our goal for orientation was to create a sense of community and inclusion from the moment the new students stepped onto campus,” says Sarah Strong, Law’18, chair of the orientation committee. 

“We hosted welcome breakfasts, movie nights and encouraged orientation leaders to invite their students out for meals to give everyone a chance to get to know each other. We also took everyone to Wolfe Island to help individual orientation teams get to know each other better.” 

That trip saw students navigate the famous Wolfe Island Corn Maze, try their hand in corn throwing contests, build sand sculptures and play volleyball. The afternoon was completed with a barbecue lunch.

“It was an excellent way to get to know each other and participate in some friendly competition,” Strong says. 

Other highlights included a games day at Rideau Acres Campground and a memorable karaoke night at Tir Nan Og that saw Dean Bill Flanagan sing a special rendition of “New York, New York.” Students also had mini-classes, a chance to meet professors and start thinking about courses, which began mid-way through the week. In addition, they attended a seminar on harassment in the legal profession, and McCarthy Tétrault LLP hosted a panel discussion on professional wellness, mental health and legal ethics.  

“Last but not least, we held two parties throughout the week,” Strong adds. “One was a costume party, which is a tradition for Queen’s Law, and the other was a gala to celebrate the end of the week.”

Overall, the experience allowed new law students to familiarize themselves with their peers and, more seriously, bounce questions off their second-year orientation leaders. 

“It was a good icebreaker,” says Andrew MacDonald, Law’19, “and it allowed us to meet a lot of people outside of our sections.

“I really enjoyed the camaraderie of Orientation Week,” he adds. “I met a lot of people and made friends.”

By Jeremy Mutton