January is upon us
A look ahead into the new term
As the snow blankets the city of Regina and people continue with the festive spirit with holiday cheer in the air, chaos lies in wait as students and faculty return for the Winter 2025 semester.
Sure, the holiday break has been nice, but 13 more weeks of hard work is right around the corner. With the new year comes a new semester, and somehow it has been five years since the COVID-19 pandemic changed how we live and learn. The onset of the winter semester marks new opportunities and a sense of chance to drive life back to the campus through engaging events whilst enjoying the cold.
The Winter Orientation is the one-stop for new students kicking off their semester. This marks the Welcome Week and introduces a lot of events, with the campus usually buzzing with new students finding friends and making connections. The orientation also has campus tours, breakout sessions with advisors and professors, and networking opportunities with students. The winter orientation takes place on Jan. 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event includes the international student orientation, for international students as they step into this gateway of new opportunities.
Since fall kicks off the academic year, that is when most of the club fairs are held, showcasing the different student groups across campus and their activities. The winter semester does not see a lot of these at the beginning, but there are individual faculty sessions where students can learn about some of these groups. The Hill School of Business hosts events like the Hill experience in the middle of the semester, happening on February 14. This event is a great way to experience everything the business school has to offer to students. It showcases all the different business groups that students can participate in, and allows new students to meet those students who are already a part of it.
The University of Regina Students’ Union (URSU), has a new bus pass system called Umo which covers cost-effective travel for students throughout the city. URSU is responsible for ensuring that every full-time student has access to the Umo card, what is posited to be a seamless aid in the process of travelling and accessing transit. Umo offers users the option of using a physical card or a mobile application with a QR code that can be scanned in the bus.
The university is also responsible for supporting students beyond start-of-term, including counselling services, writing, and other academic support for students kicking off their university life. It’s a known fact that transitioning from high school to university can be a challenge, and the University of Regina tries to equip every student with the resources and support that they require to set themselves up for success.
The Winter semester is a semester that can be a lot of calm blanketed in chaos. From skating to enjoying outdoor events like Frost Regina, students have a lot of opportunities to explore and learn while they have fun. It is also important to remember that the campus is a space for growth, discovery, and connections that might be with us for the rest of our lives.
