Welcome Week 2025

Welcome to campus, Lancers! Move-In Day is your official start to residence life. With assigned time slots to help everything run smoothly, you’ll unpack, get settled, and meet your Residence Life team. Get all the support you need from staff and volunteers along the way. Whether you’re arriving with family or flying solo, this is the first step in making UWindsor your home. Light snacks will be available throughout the day to keep everyone fueled and focused.

Meet your RA, get to know your neighbours, and learn everything you need to feel safe, supported, and settled in residence. These required floor meetings cover important info about community expectations, safety procedures, and how to make the most of your time in res. It’s your first step to building your home away from home! Don’t miss it!

Kick off your UWindsor experience with a campus-wide photo scavenger hunt led by your RA and residence floor! In The Blue & Gold Hunt, you’ll explore key campus spots like the Student Centre, Library, Residence Office, and more — snapping pics, making memories, and learning where everything is along the way. You’ll also stop at the Dining Hall to grab your dinner during the journey. It’s a fun, active way to get familiar with campus and meet your floormates! Accessible route options are available.

Wrap up Move-In Day with a cozy outdoor screening of Monsters University under the night sky! Bring a blanket, find a spot on the grass, and enjoy some free popcorn from What’s Poppin’ while kicking back with your new residence community. It’s the perfect low-key way to relax, meet new friends, and start your UWindsor journey on a high note.

Try your luck! No real money required! Mock Casino Night brings the excitement of the casino to campus with classic games like poker, blackjack, and roulette using play chips. Whether you’re a total beginner or just in it for fun, trained dealers will guide you through each table. Rack up chips for a chance to win prizes, enjoy music, light snacks, and snap pics at the photo booth. It’s a great excuse to dress up, meet new people, and kick off Welcome Week in style!

Get hyped for one of the biggest Welcome Week events! River Games brings students together for an epic day of inflatable challenges, team competitions, and good vibes by the river – all while representing your faculty in the Battle of the Faculties.

What’s on the menu? Start the day with free muffins and juice, and fuel up later with hot Domino’s pizza served by our volunteer crew. Hydration stations will be on-site to keep you cool while you compete, dance, or just chill with new friends. Whether you’re going all in or just vibing on the sidelines, you won’t want to miss this.

Registration Required! Don’t Miss Out!

Looking to meet new people but not sure where to start? Speed Mingling is the ultimate icebreaker — fast-paced, casual, and a ton of fun. Rotate through quick rounds of conversation with fellow Lancers, then stick around for games like ping pong, great music, and a chill space to hang out and snap pics. Whether you’re outgoing or a little shy, this event is designed to make connecting easy and stress-free.

Registration Required!

Start strong with JumpStart, a practical and supportive workshop built to help you navigate your first year with confidence. Learn essential academic skills, time management strategies, and tips for staying on track as a university student – all in a relaxed, low-pressure setting. Whether you’re looking to boost your study habits or just figure out where to begin, this session is a great first step. Registration required.

Want to make the most of your time at UWindsor? Start here! Explore 50+ clubs, societies, and campus groups at the Involvement Fair, where you can meet new people, discover events, and get connected to everything student life has to offer. While you’re there, enjoy a free BBQ lunch and cool off with water provided by Catering. Then, join a themed Tour Tuesday experience. Check out campus hotspots and hidden gems like Old Sandwich Town or the Toldo Lancer Centre. It’s your all-in-one intro to campus life!

Looking to learn more about campus or Windsor-Essex? Join one of our many tours leaving from the Involvement Fair DJ Booth at 1:00PM!

Tours include:

• Campus Tour
• Toldo Lancer Centre Tour
• Best Study Spaces Tour
• Aboriginal History Tour

Reminders:

• Please dress for the weather
• Wear shoes that are comfortable for walking (e.g., running shoes).
• Remember to wear sunscreen and a hat if it’s sunny and to bring an umbrella if it’s raining.
  • Note: event cancellation notice will be issued if more than light rain is predicted.
• Bring a reusable water bottle

Join us for an afternoon of great food, music, and connection at the BLX Cook-Out! The BLX Cook-Out is a community-building event for Black-identifying residence students. Enjoy a BBQ-style meal with mac & cheese, fresh fruit, and more, plus outdoor games, dominoes, and music ranging from Afrobeats to Reggae and Hip-hop. It’s all about creating space to meet fellow students, connect with campus leaders, and kick off the year feeling supported and welcomed.

Unleash your creativity at Paint Night, a relaxed and social art event where you’ll create your own masterpiece to take home. All materials are provided, no experience needed — just bring yourself, some imagination, and maybe a few new friends. Dinner will be served, and space is limited, so be sure to register through Swoogo as part of your Welcome Week sign-up!

Get acquainted with Faculty and upper year students in your program by attending your program-specific orientation session!

It all leads to this! Join your faculty group and head to the Welcoming Celebration — the official kickoff to your UWindsor journey. Hear from campus leaders, including the University President, UWSA, Associate Vice President of the Division of Student Affairs, the Provost and Vice-President Academic, the Alumni President, the OPUS President, and student reps and find out who takes home the Lancer Shield in the Welcome Week team showdown. You’ll also have a chance to drop your tuition ballots into the drum for a shot at winning big! Come out for the prize draws, cheers, and a full crowd of new Lancers ready to celebrate. No tickets, no sign-up — just show up and rep your program!

The winning UWindsor Welcome Week team will be presented with the Lancer Shield and pose for a picture in the Daily News. The tuition winner will also be interviewed by the Daily News and pose for a picture. There will not be any chairs, only bleachers set up behind the stage.

Join us at Blue & Gold bingo to kick off the start of welcome week & for a chance to win tons of great prizes! If you’re an undergraduate student, this is a great opportunity to play bing, win prizes, meet other undergraduate students, and enjoy food and music together.

Take a moment to pause, reflect, and help create a beautiful message of hope for our campus. Join Student Health, Counselling & Wellness Services in decorating paper butterflies with uplifting art and messages as part of the It Matters that You’re Here suicide prevention initiative. Your contribution will become part of a collaborative mural spelling out HOPE. It’s a powerful reminder that we’re all in this together. Drop in, express yourself, and help spread support and positivity across campus.

Move, breathe, and glow! Join us for an evening of energy and mindfulness under the stars with Glow and Grow. Glow-in-the-dark at this wellness event featuring a 45-minute Zumba/dance session followed by a relaxing yoga flow. Enjoy outdoor games, grab a wellness care package, and connect with others in a supportive space focused on movement, mental health, and fun. All students are welcome! Just don’t forget to register in advance through Fusion!

Cap off your week with scoops and smiles at the Sunset Sundae Social! Join fellow residence students for free ice cream in a variety of flavours (with dairy-free and gluten-free options available), plus chill games like giant Jenga, Connect 4, checkers, and a whole table of board games to dive into. It’s all part of our weekly TGIF tradition! Come out to relax, meet people, and score points toward the Blue and Gold Cup. No sign-up needed, just show up and vibe!

Get game-day ready with your residence crew! Swing by your building’s lobby to gear up in blue and gold face paint, necklaces, glow sticks, foam fingers, and more! (All provided by Housing & Residence Life.) Then, head out together to cheer on the Lancers at the first football game of the season. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just in it for the fun, this is your chance to show your school spirit and start the year strong with your new community!

It’s time to rep the blue and gold! Join thousands of students and fans in the stands as the Lancer Football team takes on the Guelph Gryphons in the first home game of the season. Expect big energy, live action under the lights, face paint, merch, and a ton of school spirit. Bring your crew, wear your colours, and help us pack the stadium. Let’s make it loud, Lancers!

Schedule:

• 6:00 pm – Doors open
• 7:00 pm – Kick Off
• 10:00 pm – Ending

Want to run a social, cultural, or community-building event during Welcome Week? Let us know!

Academic orientation sessions are a huge part of helping new students transition smoothly. Use the form below to coordinate your faculty or departmental session.

Show off your student group or department at the Welcome Week Involvement Fair — the best way to connect with new students!