YSJ Welcome Week 101
Freshers Week, or what we call Welcome Week, is the first week of study for all our new students! A very exciting time! To celebrate your arrival, we have some events and activities planned to help you get settled at York St John! Let me guide you through the exciting events happening during that week with our YSJ Welcome Week 101 Guide.
Academic Timetable
The first thing you need to do in preparation for Welcome Week is find your academic timetable. For new students, classes start from the beginning of Welcome Week, Monday 23rd September. During the week, you will have a line-up of various introductory classes to help you get to know your course, tutors, and classmates! Attending these classes is an important first step into your course, ensuring you can go into your first year understanding what is expected of you.
YSJFest 2024
Running from 23rd to 27th September, YSJFest offers the opportunity to better get to know the campus and university services.
The university Wellbeing Teams will be running daily Wellbeing Settling In Chats to offer support to those struggling with homesickness and settling into university life. You can sign up for a chat on the day at the Information Services Desk in Holgate or by emailing the team at wellbeingenquiries@yorksj.ac.uk.
The Chaplaincy Big Yellow Tent will be open every day in front of the chapel, offering treats, goodies, and information on their services. The chaplaincy team will also be running Quiet Café in the chapel on Wednesday 25th September from 11am to 3am. Quiet Café aims to provide a calm space for quiet socialising and, of course, free tea and cakes! As a neurodiverse subscriber, I can confirm this is a fantastic spot for those looking for fellow neurodiverse friends!
YSJFest will also feature the Getting Started Hub in Holgate, offers drop-in sessions every day of Welcome Week to support you with accommodation, admissions, disability support, funding advice, and global opportunities. They will also be available to help you register with a GP. I recommend doing this during Welcome Week to ensure you are registered for future appointments.
Students’ Union Events
The SU’s Welcome Week events start from Saturday 21st September with £1 a Pint & Karaoke, followed by an incredible range of events both during the day and evenings. Rest assured there will be something for everyone! This year, they have the Big Pub Quiz, Freshers Fair, and the Freshers Ball, just to name a few. Students’ Union Welcome Week events are open to all students, not just freshers. Tickets can be purchased through the Union website.
Clubs & Societies
Joining a university sports club or society is a fantastic way to meet like-minded people and explore a new interest. Many of the university’s clubs and societies will be at the SU’s Freshers Fair on Wednesday 25 September from 10am to 3pm. Attending the Freshers Fair can offer a great insight into what activities are available and what societies you might enjoy! A list of the university’s clubs and societies can be found on the Students’ Union website.
Off-Campus Events
I’m sure for many of you the off-campus fresher’s events are the main event. There are plenty of events lined up to fulfill all your Freshers Week expectations, including the infamous YSJ Freshers Pub Crawl on Thursday 26th September running across eight venues in York City Centre. There are so many events happening in York this freshers, like a block party, traffic light party, and even a form party! Tickets are available online and the earlier you book the cheaper they are!
