Your Official FVC O-Week Guide

Hey Future Vets! 

We’re officially back for the Fall 2024 semester - if you’re a returning student, we’ve missed you so much!

If it’s your first year at the University of Guelph, we are SO excited to have you here. We can’t wait to meet you, so we’ve got some really fun events lined up for O-Week that we hope you’ll attend! 

If you don’t know what O-Week is, it is essentially your first week back to school - this takes place from Friday August 30th to Sunday September 8th. During this week, hundreds of clubs, organizations, and departments across campus will hold events to help with your transition, introduce you to your new classmates and fellow Gryphons, and get you excited for the first day of classes! All newbies are welcome to check out these events and partake in all of the fun activities - and we at the Future Vets Club hope that some of our events are on your to-see list! 

If this is the first you’re hearing of the Future Vets Club: welcome! The FVC is a non-profit CSA approved club run on campus. Our club’s goal is to provide support to undergraduate students intending to apply to veterinary colleges, both within Ontario and internationally. We aim to provide as much information as possible to our club members by organizing and hosting informative seminars and exciting events all year long! Our events centre around animal-related fields, work/volunteer opportunities, and schools offering a degree in veterinary medicine. If this sounds interesting to you, read on!

Without further ado, let me give you a bite-sized run down on whats going on in the club during your first week of school:
 
We kick off the fun with a returning favourite: the O-Week Cozy Campfire Night! 
When: Sunday, September 1st at 7pm
Where: Johnston Green
On September 7th at 7pm, meet us on Johnston Green around a super cute bonfire (made of tissue paper however - no fire hazards here!) and have a night of fun. Bring your blankets, towels, and lawn chairs and hang out with fellow first-years, FVC executives, FVC alumni, and even pre-vets and current OVC students! Its a great opportunity to not only make new friends, but also to ask all of your burning questions to students who are really on the pre-vet path! Refreshments will be provided, of course - tea, hot chocolate, cookies and s’mores… who could resist? Feel free to grab a friend and drop by for however long you like to chat, laugh, and sing along to tunes played on acoustic guitar. We can’t wait to see you there!
 
The very next day, you can find us stationed at CSA’s Subs and Clubs! 
When: Monday, September 2nd from 11:45am - 1:30pm
Where: Johnston Green
On September 2nd, drop by the FVC booth on Johnston Green (or in the UC Courtyard if its raining!) after 11:45am and come say hi! Subs and Clubs is a super fun event where lots of UofG’s clubs set up booths for newcomers to check out. Everyone also gets a free tasty sub, and vegetarian/gluten-free options are available! Grab a bite to eat and find us at the FVC booth to hear more about the club and let us know if you’re interested in becoming a member!
 
If the Cozy Campfire and Subs and Clubs day leave you wanting more, you’re in luck - just a few days later, the Future Vets Club will be getting back together for the Pals and Paws Social!
When: Thursday, September 5th from 3-6pm
Where: the Summerlee Science Complex atrium
You know we’d LOVE to see you again, so pop by the Pals and Paws social - an afternoon of animal-themed activities to make more friends and further connect with upper-year FVC executives. Come by to enjoy a super cute photo booth, DIY pet portraits, animal- and veterinary-themed games, and a fun memory box activity to reflect on your aspirations! Snacks will be provided, and we’ve got all of your dietary needs covered, too. Don’t worry about bringing anything but your smiling faces and any questions you have for the FVC executives. We hope that the Pals and Paws Social gives you an opportunity to get a feel for the Future Vets Club, and that you leave feeling excited to become a member this year! We would love to have you :)
 
If you’re a first year student and a little nervous about O-Week and socializing, don’t be scared! Every other first year is in the same spot you are, and just wants to make new friends. No one is 100% confident and acclimatized out-of-the-gate in their first year of University (if they tell you they are, they’re lying!). Us at the FVC suggest that you take baby steps and come hang out at the O-Week Campfire or Pals and Paws Social (or both! I know I’ll be there!) And get comfortable with the new atmosphere. No pressure - just snacks, music, and cool people to chat with whenever you’re ready :)
If you do attend one of our O-Week events and it’s your first year (or even if you’re in a later year and still warming up to it!) please feel free to go up to one of the FVC executives and let us know. We would LOVE to be your friend and introduce you to more!
 
We hope you’ll stay tuned for more exciting events coming very soon. The best way to stay up-to-date on what the FVC is getting up to this year (like the OVC Admissions Debrief on September 11th!) is to visit our Instagram (@fvcguelph). 
The Omnis Animalis will also be posting great blog posts, articles, and interviews every month right here! If there’s anything that you’d particularly love to read about, send us a DM on Instagram and I’ll see what I can do!
 
The Future Vets Club extends a very warm welcome to everyone coming back to campus in the coming weeks! We hope to see you at our O-Week events, and that everyone settles in nicely and has a wonderful Fall semester.
 
Yours Truly,
Emily Camarda, Senior Editor