Welcome Days for incoming students living off campus

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As part of Laurier Orientation, LOCUS is excited to welcome first-year off-campus students to our Off-Campus Welcome Day! 

We want to make sure your first day on campus as a Golden Hawk is filled with opportunities to meet other first-year students and learn about life at Laurier. At the event, students will be able to connect with their upper-year mentors (Off-Campus Advisors and Icebreakers) for Orientation and the year ahead. 

Save the date! Off-Campus Welcome Day will be on Sunday, August 31st, 2025, on Laurier's Brantford and Waterloo campuses. You won't want to miss it! 

Registration has now closed. Email locus@wlu.ca if you have any questions

Attending the Milton campus? Since all our Milton students are off-campus, the Off-Campus Welcome Day programs are included throughout the Laurier Orientation schedule. Be sure to check out all the events!

Check out the full schedule for the Brantford and Waterloo campuses below:

Brantford Campus

Registration & Check-In | 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. | One Market Senate & Board Chamber (OM206-10)

Please arrive early to check in with us for Off-Campus Welcome Day, ensuring you are set up for the day and entered into our prize draws. 

Welcome to LOCUS | 12:30 p.m. to 12:55 p.m. | One Market Senate & Board Chamber (OM206-10)

Join us for a quick and friendly Welcome session, where you’ll learn about the LOCUS program and all the supports/resources available to help you thrive as an off-campus student. You’ll also have the chance to meet other off-campus students through optional icebreakers, all while enjoying light snacks/refreshments, and good music to kick off orientation!  

Getting Involved in your First Year | 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Research and Academic Centre West Room 203 (RCW203) 

Looking to make the most of your first year, meet like-minded people, and make an impact on the LOCUS and Laurier Community? Attend our Getting Involved in your First-Year Session to learn all about how you can enhance your first-year experience. During this session, we will cover topics including how to join a LOCUS Link (interest-based communities within LOCUS), the First-Year Leadership Program, and the LOCUS House Council! 

Student Experience Campus Tours | 1:45 p.m. to 3 p.m. | One Market Senate & Board Chamber (OM206-10)

Our Off-Campus Advisors will be taking you on personalized tours around the Brantford campus. Learn about campus hotspots, most common classrooms, and all the hidden gems for off-campus students! Tours will be departing from the Senate & Board Chambers in One Market at approximately 1:45 p.m. 

Choose Your Own Adventure | 2:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. | One Market Level 1 Lounge (OM116)

Join us in one of Brantford Campus’ most popular hangout spots! We will have a variety of different activities to choose from. Stay tuned for more information about the different “adventures” that will be available.  

End of Off-Campus Welcome Day | 4:45 p.m. to 5 p.m. | One Market Level 1 Lounge (OM116)

We will conclude Off-Campus Welcome Day with a brief overview of the rest of Orientation, as well as how to stay connected with LOCUS for the rest of the week! 

Students’ Union Dinner & Evening Programming | 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. | Beginning in the One Market Atrium

After our afternoon of events, the Wilfrid Laurier University Students' Union has an evening filled with programming available for all first-year undergraduate students. Be sure to check out the full schedule here.

Waterloo Campus

Registration & Check-In | 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. | Lazaridis Hall Atrium 

Please arrive early to check in with us for Off-Campus Welcome Day, ensuring you are set up for the day and entered into our prize draws.   

Welcome to LOCUS | 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. | Lazaridis Hall Atrium 

Your official welcome to the LOCUS program! You will learn about all the support the program offers, our events, and ways you can get involved in your first year.  

Choose Your Own Adventure | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Lazaridis Hall Lecture Rooms (LH1009, LH1010, LH1011) 

*Choose your own adventure activities will be operating on a first-come, first-served basis, as the rooms do have a maximum capacity. We advise you to select your top 2 choices. Staff may redirect students to a different room if another room has reached capacity.

Table displays the event title and room location in the left column and a description of the event in the right hand column.
Olympic Games (LH1009) Students will compete in teams through a series of three mini games. Get connected with your peers and test your skills through the Olympic Games.
Zombie Apocalypse (LH1010) Do you think you could outsmart the zombies? Work with fellow students and state your case to see! Students in this room will work in teams to create the ultimate zombie survival plan. 
First Year Mapping (LH1011) Students in this room will get their burning questions answered about life at Laurier while planning for the year ahead. Off-Campus Advisors will be present to share all things first year. While chatting and listening, students can decorate a journal or pencil case. 

Trivia & Light Lunch | 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.| Lazaridis Hall Atrium 

We will be serving some light lunch and refreshments while our Off-Campus Advisors host Trivia! Dietary restrictions will be accommodated if indicated on the Off-Campus Welcome Day Registration form you complete.  

Campus Tours | 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Lazaridis Hall Atrium 

Our Off-Campus Advisors will be taking you on personalized tours around campus, so you can learn about campus hotspots, common classrooms, and hidden gems! Tours will be departing from the Lazaridis Hall Atrium at 1:30 pm. Campus tours will take students directly to the next events (Craft Corner and Game Zone).

Craft Corner | Lazaridis Hall Atrium | 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Once tours have concluded, students can choose to get creative at Craft Corner, where we will have a variety of activities available. Whether you want to take on a canvas painting or do some colouring with newly made friends, we’ve got something for you!  

Game Zone | Paul Martin Centre (DH2-11) | 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Once tours have concluded, students can choose to head to Game Zone. We will have an array of card games and board games available. Whether you want to make or lose some friends during a game of UNO, or showcase your Connect 4 strategies, we’ve got something for you!  

End of Off-Campus Welcome Day | Paul Martin Centre & Lazaridis Hall Atrium | 3:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

We will officially wrap up Off-Campus Welcome Day with reminders about LOCUS and Orientation, and how students can stay connected with us throughout! 

Transition Time - Drop-In Programming | Paul Martin Centre | 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.  

Laurier Orientation is hosting Quad & Chill from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Once Off-Campus Welcome Day has concluded, we will be keeping the Paul Martin Centre open as a drop-in space for folks who would like to stick around. Our Off-Campus Advisors will be sticking around, and the Game Zone and Craft Corner activities will be available. Feel free to use this time to step out to pop back home, grab dinner, or explore campus! 

Quad & Chill | Quad | 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Your Off-Campus Advisors and Orientation Icebreakers will walk with the group from the Paul Martin Centre to this event. Students can also meet the group there if they choose to go home or grab a bite to eat during the transition time/break.

For more information about Quad and Chill, please refer to the official Laurier Orientation schedule.