Key Takeaways: O-Week Essentials
- Is it Compulsory? Technically no, but practically YES.
- The Goal: To register, get your student card, and learn the campus map.
- The Tech: You learn how to use the online portal (Blackboard/Moodle) to submit assignments.
- The Social: You meet the people who will be your study group for the next 3 years.
- The Mentors: You get assigned a senior student (“Buddy”) to guide you.
You’ve seen the movies. Orientation Week (or “Freshers’ Week”) looks like a week-long party of beer pong, concerts, and initiation.
While the social events are fun, the real Orientation Week happens during the day. This is the “Soft Launch” of your university career. It is the only time you get to figure out the systems without the pressure of assignments hanging over your head.
If you decide to skip O-Week and just “show up for classes” on Day 1, you will be starting the race 100 meters behind everyone else. Here is why you absolutely cannot miss it.
1. Administrative Logistics (The Boring but Vital Stuff)
During O-Week, the university administration is dedicated entirely to you.
- Student Cards: This is your passport. You need it to open gates, borrow library books, and write exams. The queues to get your photo taken are massive. If you miss O-Week, you will spend your first week standing in lines instead of sitting in class.
- Registration Finalization: If there is a glitch with your modules or a clash in your timetable, Faculty Officers are available in the halls to fix it manually.
- Access Control: You need to register your fingerprints (biometrics) to enter computer labs.
2. Mastering the “LMS” (Learning Management System)
In 2026, universities are hybrid. You don’t hand in physical paper assignments anymore; you upload them.
Every university uses a system:
- UJ: uLink / Blackboard
- UP: ClickUP
- Wits: Ulwazi (Canvas)
- UCT: Amathuba
What happens in O-Week:
IT technicians run workshops showing you exactly how to login, how to access your course readings, and—most importantly—how to submit a PDF assignment before the deadline. If you don’t know how to do this, you will fail your first assignment. Do not learn this the night before it is due.
3. The Campus Tour (Don’t Be “That” Guy)
University campuses are mazes.
- Scenario: Your timetable says “D-Lab 203” at 08:00 AM.
- Reality: You have no idea where D-Block is. You run around sweating for 20 minutes, arrive late, and everyone stares at you.
The O-Week Solution:
Your mentors take you on a physical walking tour. They show you exactly where the bathrooms, the cafeteria, the library, and the lecture halls are. You walk your route before the pressure is on.
4. Academic Advising (Curriculum Planning)
Choosing modules is confusing.
- “If I take Psychology 101, can I still major in Anthropology?”
- “Do I need Stats to do Economics?”
During O-Week, Academic Advisors give presentations on how your degree is structured. They explain the “Pre-requisites” (modules you MUST pass to continue). If you pick the wrong combo now, you might find out in 3rd year that you can’t graduate.
5. Making Friends (The Survival Network)
University is lonely if you don’t know anyone.
- The “Spotlight” Effect: Everyone feels awkward and nervous in the first week. This makes it the easiest time to make friends because everyone is desperate for a connection.
- Study Groups: The person you sit next to in the Dean’s Welcome speech might be the person you study with for the next three years.
6. Digital Literacy Check
Some universities (like UJ and TUT) require you to complete a “Digital Literacy” or “Library” course during orientation.
- This teaches you how to use the library search engine to find academic journals.
- It teaches you about Plagiarism (the fastest way to get expelled).
- Completing this during O-Week ticks a mandatory box so you don’t have to worry about it later.
FAQ: Orientation Week
Q: Do I bring my parents?
A: There is usually a specific “Parents Day” (often on the Saturday before). For the rest of the week? No. This is your time to be independent.
Q: Is there initiation?
A: Absolutely not. Hazing and initiation are banned at all South African public universities. O-Week is about welcoming you, not humiliating you.
Q: What if I arrive late (e.g., waiting for NSFAS)?
A: Universities run a “Late Orientation” program, usually online. Visit the “First Year Experience” (FYE) office as soon as you arrive on campus to catch up.
Q: Do I need to dress up?
A: No. Wear comfortable shoes (you will walk a lot). Bring a hat and water.
Conclusion: Don’t Skip the Tutorial
Think of O-Week as the “Tutorial Level” in a video game. Sure, you can skip it, but you will spend the rest of the game not knowing which button makes you jump.
It is free. It is helpful. And yes, the parties are good too. Go to O-Week.
Disclaimer: Dates and schedules vary by institution. Check your university email for your specific O-Week Group allocation.