NIU’s annual Week of Welcome (WOW) is a week-long event full of activities for NIU students. WOW starts the week before classes begin and there is something for every student at NIU to enjoy. Students should go to WOW events to make friends and enjoy the last few days of summer before school starts.
Week of Welcome, is an extended orientation for primarily first-year and transfer students. However returning students can also attend WOW events.
This year’s Week of Welcome ran Wednesday through Sunday.
Week of Welcome had a lot of signature events such as Jewel Jamboree, where NIU students can go to Jewel-Osco, located at 1320 Sycamore Road, and get free stuff such as snacks and drinks. Week of Welcome also had events such as Campfire Connections, the Band Run and the Presidents Picnic.
Going to these events helps you to step out of your comfort zone and feel at home in DeKalb. It’s a great opportunity to find community and lifelong friends during your time at NIU.
For students — especially first-years and transfers who may be dealing with homesickness — going to the WOW events can help alleviate those feelings by helping you make friends that may be dealing with the same thing.
However, WOW also is beneficial for returning students. WOW events give returning students something to do in the period between move in and the start of classes.
Returning students even have the opportunity to volunteer at WOW events. To volunteer for future Week of Welcomes, students can visit the NIU website.
For future WOW events, NIU will list them on the orientation website, but in order to create your own personalized schedule for WOW events, you need to download the NIU Guidebook app, which is free to download.
Although Week of Welcome is now over, there is still an array of activities you can enjoy such as participating in the Food Truck Wednesday Kick Off on Aug. 27
For incoming students, remember, once a Huskie, always a Huskie, and you’re never alone. NIU has so many resources to support students through college, and WOW is just one of those events that prepares students for life at NIU.
Even though Week Of Welcome is over there are still plenty of events on and off campus for you to enjoy. Don’t waste the school year by not being an active student on campus, go out and enjoy the many activities.
