The Magic of Orientation: Garrett's Journey From First-Year Student to O-Chair

If you're considering York or curious about university orientation, Garrett's story offers a glimpse of what one week can become.

This article was originally written for York University by Michelle Nguyen.

What makes Orientation magical? For Garrett Genereux, the answer is simple: the people.

"Pretty much everyone in my life today has come from that first week," says the fourth-year Cinema and Media Arts student. Friends, roommates and creative connections: many of those relationships began during his first Winters College Frosh.

Garrett found something in Frosh that kept bringing him back each year, first as a participant and then in roles with new responsibilities. Now, as an Orientation Chair (O-Chair), he is helping to make that same magic happen for a new group of York students.

Orientation week, also called Frosh or O-week, takes place at the start of the Fall and Winter terms. It gives new students the chance to connect at events, become familiar with their academic programs and make lasting memories.

If you are new to York, curious about Orientation or wondering whether attending is worth it, Garrett's story offers a glimpse of what one week can become.

Where the magic started

One week can feel short until you realize how many years of friendship can come from it.

That is what stayed with Garrett most from his first Orientation week. Between the events and Winters College traditions were conversations with people who, at the time, were complete strangers. "You meet a lot of amazing people and make very strong connections right away," he says.

One of them was Andy. During an event in the Winters Quad, Andy appeared in his residence window and started pretending to DJ for the crowd below. Everyone played along. Later, he came downstairs, introduced himself to Garrett and asked to exchange contact information.

Just like that, a spontaneous Frosh moment became the start of a friendship. Four years later, they are roommates.

And the story does not stop with Andy. Garrett met all his current roommates at Frosh, and many of his friendships at York lead back, somehow, to that first week. It is also what kept bringing him back each year.

From finding community to creating it

"My first Orientation week gave me so much in experience and in relationships that I felt like I wanted to give back," Garrett says.

And he did. Garrett returned in his second year as part of the Winters Frosh media team, then became one of its leads the following year. Now, as one of two O-Chairs, he is creating the experience he once showed up to enjoy.

As Garrett discovered, the magic starts months before Orientation does.

Planning began in late April. Since then, Garrett and his co-chair have been preparing events, hiring their team and working through logistics.

After all that planning, what matters to Garrett is straightforward: "Ultimately, you want the week to be meaningful to this generation of students," he says.

That is the beauty of coming full circle. Garrett still remembers what his first Frosh gave him. Now, he gets to pass it on.

York's College Community: If you come to York, you'll join one of nine colleges, giving you a close-knit community to study, connect and get support.

Making the most of your Frosh

After four years of Frosh, Garrett's advice for first-year students comes down to three words: "Talk to people."

Go to the events that excite you. Find people you connect with. Say yes to the unexpected conversations in between. You do not have to attend everything or meet your future best friend to make the week count.

Then again, you never know. Garrett met his future roommates along the way.

For him, one event worth attending is the Winters drag lip sync battle, his favourite Frosh tradition. Drag performers take the stage before inviting first-year students to join in with lip sync battles of their own. Garrett has watched students light up during the experience, including one first-year student who sat by the stage completely mesmerized.

And perhaps that is where the magic comes back in.

Months of planning can set the stage, but the people make Frosh what it is. Show up, say hi, and let the week surprise you.