While York and the rest of Ontario finds itself at a standstill with the reintroduction of the province’s latest restrictions, the start of a New Year arguably always holds a strong and optimistic sign for change and growth at York University.
The good news for Ontario residents is, these restrictions, at the moment, are only meant to last until January 26, leaving students with hope that they might be able to go back and enjoy the atmosphere of being on campus — albeit during the Canadian winter season. How the province navigates the effects of the Omicron variant will depend on case counts, hospitalizations, and boosters.
York President Rhonda Lenton recently announced the opening of a vaccination clinic that will be located at the Aviva Centre on 1 Shoreham Drive from January 10 to 28, specifically for staff and students who wish to get their booster shot. With the positive amount of York staff and students who have gone out to get vaccinated in previous pop-ups, it will not come as a surprise if this clinic sees another great turnout.
Though hospitalizations and cases have grown at a profound rate, the death rate has thankfully remained quite low. With that being said, numerous health experts have come out and said that there will come a time when we will have to simply “manage the virus,” according to CBC News.
For the York community, news to look forward to is the return of Frosh Week. Karolina Solovka and Rey Lachporia are fourth-year theatre students who also run the Instagram page @thatwintersshow. The pair are organizing Frosh Week as a part of Winter’s College with the theme “BIG SUMMER BLOWOUT.”
“Frosh Week is a great way to reconnect with the community and friends, as well as make new ones! We are really excited for the week and hope the students are as well” the pair write in a joint statement. They also note that they will be collaborating with other colleges as a part of the festivities.
Adhering to public health guidelines, Frosh Week will run virtually from January 10 to the 16 with some events including Dungeons and Dragons night, open mic night, the Winters Ball, Kahoot night, Jackbox Games, and more.
Yanni Dagonas, the advisor and deputy spokesperson for York, also highlighted several student leadership initiatives who host virtual workshops to help guide first-year students, along with building and supporting student leadership at York. Some include Black Excellence at York University (BEYU) Leadership Workshops and Learning Skills Services who tackle subjects that surround academic success. Links to these virtual events can be found on the Upcoming Events page of the Student Community and Leadership Development section of York’s website.
Additional campus updates and events for students can also be found on the York Federation of Students website or their Instagram.
