University of Waterloo

Important dates

Fall 2018 | Winter 2019 | Spring 2019

Fall 2018

Dates	What's happening on campus?	Talking to your student
August 31-September 2	International Orientation International move-in	Encourage your International student to visit the grocery store, to set up their room, and to go to the bank to open a Canadian bank account. Encourage your student to attend events that may be happening throughout move-in and to introduce themselves to Dons and others in their community. Students are welcome to use this time to figure out where classes may be, explore the city, and get ahead on the bookstore line for textbooks!
September 2-8	Residence move-in Orientation for all incoming students	This may be the first time your student has lived with people outside of the family. Encourage them to introduce themselves and begin to set ground rules with their roommate(s) to avoid conflict. Ask about your student’s experience with Orientation activities, like Warrior Welcome or faculty events. If your student is living off-campus, encourage them to attend Orientation events on-campus as well as special programming for off-campus students on September 4.
September 6	Fall 2018 lectures begin	Give your student a call to ask how their first day of class went. Lead with open-ended questions such as, “What are some of the things you learned about university lectures?” Check in with your student about their participation in residence life. There are lots of opportunities for students to get involved in residence and help them feel part of their new community.
September 10-14	Welcome Week Clubs & Societies Days Campus Life Fair	Encourage your student to join a club or society based on their interests. Clubs and societies are one of the easiest ways to make lifelong friends and they look great for students looking to build their résumé. Welcome Week, presented by FEDS, happens during the first week of classes. Activities are presented so students can participate while also attending their first classes.
September 25	Midterms	Midterm season is coming up! Ask your student if they have found a quiet spot to study on campus. Find out how they are feeling about their classes and their first set of university midterms. If they’re nervous, encourage them to access study resources from the Student Success Office. Encourage your student to spend time on campus. They may want to visit home regularly, but staying on campus can ease their transition and help them get more comfortable with their new home.
Early October	Winter course selection period	Check in with your student about Winter 2019 course selection by asking about the courses they’ve enrolled in. Support their exploration of new subjects and remind them that it’s okay to be undecided — and to always study what they love! Students can find checklists for their program requirements on the UWaterloo website. Encourage students to speak to an academic advisor if they cannot find the checklist.
October 9-11	Thanksgiving Monday (University holiday) Fall Break (no classes)	Check-in with your student about what plans they have made to travel home safely. If your student cannot make it home for the extended Thanksgiving weekend, set a time to chat over the phone or on Skype. You can also send them a holiday care package to help alleviate any feelings of homesickness. Fall Break is a pause from classes when students can reflect and catch up on class assignments and studying. It is also a good time to visit family and friends, catch up on sleep, or do whatever they need to feel rejuvenated and energized for the second half of the term.
October 21	Six weeks down…and six to go	Congratulate your student for making it halfway through their first term!
December 3-5	Lectures end Pre-examination study days	Make time this week to ask how your student is feeling about their final projects and upcoming exams. Ask your student how they are taking care of themselves and managing academic stress. Are they eating regularly? Do they follow a regular morning or nighttime routine? Do they make sure to put aside time to spend with new friends? Encourage your student to take breaks and consider visiting campus recreation centres or to explore Uptown Waterloo.
December 6-21	Final exam period	Check-in throughout the exam period to remind your student to eat well and get enough sleep to power them through studying and writing exams. Remind your student about support systems available to them through the University. These services, such as study sessions, are beneficial ways in which your student can both minimize stress and perform well during the exam period. After their last exam, congratulate your student on completing their first term!
December 24-31	Winter Break	Winter break is a great time to reconnect with family and friends. Students will also be ready for a break from studying. This can take shape in the form of a celebration of being done first term, extra rest time they may need, and catching up with people they may not have had the opportunity to talk to throughout the term. Congratulations to you and your student, first term has been completed!

Winter 2019

Dates	What's happening on campus?	Talking to your student
January 7	Winter 2019 lectures begin Co-op work term begins for students in a co-op stream with first work term in January of first year	No matter how their first term went, your student will benefit from reflecting on their accomplishments and challenges. Ask them what their goals are for the next 4 months and how they plan to achieve them. Encourage your student to continue, or start, being involved on campus by joining a club, participating in intramural or recreational athletics, or looking for a campus job or volunteer position.
January 14-18	Winter Welcome Week Plan fall housing	Check-in on your student’s plans to search for fall housing and ask how you can support the process. Encourage your student to attend campus festivities and reconnect with the new friends they made last term. Students may be capable of adding a new club or society to their roster as they become settled in the routine of second term. Provide further encouragement to seek out and join in on something new if they did not look into this during the first semester.
February	Applications for on-campus part-time jobs for fall 2019 are accepted now Job search preparation for summer jobs and spring co-op	Offer to help proofread your student’s résumé and cover letter. Encourage your student to explore international opportunities like studying abroad or seeking international work experience. Check-in with your student about their search for a summer or co-op job. Encourage your student to make an appointment with a career advisor at the Centre for Career Action for help searching for jobs, writing a résumé, or preparing for interviews.
February 18-22	Family Day (University holiday) Reading Week (no classes)	Ask your student about their plans for Reading Week. They might have midterms or assignments to study for during their time off, so try to avoid scheduling too many things for them to do if they are at home over the break. Students may also decide to stay on campus or go home for the break depending on where they find they need to be to get the most out of reading week.
April 5-9	Lectures end Pre-examination study days	If your student is living in residence, they will need to move out 24 hours after their last exam. Make plans with your student for how they will store their belongings if they are moving home for the summer. If your student has siblings still living at home, ask them how they feel about the transition. If moving out after 24 hours is not a possibility for your student, encourage them to apply for an extension. Your student’s Don will have the information necessary to guide them through this process. Both your student and you will need time to adjust if they are moving home after a period of time away. Be patient with the process and turn to any resources you may need for extra guidance. The easiest transitions most often include open conversation surrounding expectations of your student once they move back home.
April 10-27	Final exam period	Check-in to remind your student to eat well and get enough sleep to power them through studying and writing exams. Remind your student of support systems available to them through the university. Congratulate your student on finishing their first year! Make sure your student has arrangements for fall housing, whether on- or off-campus. Waterloo Housing office, located in the Student Life Centre is a great resource to reach out to for everything from rent agreements to finding the right place for them.

Spring 2019

Dates	What's happening on campus?	Talking to your student
May 6	Most first-year students off Classes start for some students Co-op terms start for some students	If your student is home for the summer, manage both of your expectations by talking about things like driving the family car, curfews, expectations, etc. You may realize that your student may be different than when they left in the fall. Enjoy getting to know each other again! If your student is on a co-op term, check-in with them to see how they are settling in.
May 13-17	Spring Welcome Week	If your student is on a study term, encourage them to get involved on campus and connect with others.
Late May	Fall course selection period	If your student is working a summer job or co-op term, ask your student about how it is going. What is your student learning from their position? Are they balancing their work and social life in a healthy way? Ask your student about what they plan to major or specialize in, and encourage them to review the requirements for their degree before the second year course selection dates. Suggest that they sketch out a plan for completing the courses they want to take.
Mid-June	Thinking about second-year	Talk to your student about their upcoming second year at Waterloo. How will second year be different? What are they looking forward to?
Early July	Planning second-year housing	If your student plans to live off-campus in their second year, ask if they’ve connected with their future housemates about who’s responsible for bringing various household items. Offer to help your student create a realistic budget for second-year.
July	Prepare to return to campus	Encourage your student to catch up on medical appointments before returning to school.
July 30-August 1	Lectures end Pre-exam study days	Make time this week to ask how your student is feeling about their final projects and upcoming exams. Ask your student how they are taking care of themselves and managing academic stress. Are they eating regularly? Do they follow a regular morning or nighttime routine? Do they make sure to put aside time to spend with new friends? Encourage your student to take breaks and consider visiting campus recreation centres or to explore Uptown Waterloo.
August	Preparing for co-op in second year?	If your student is starting co-op in second year, encourage them to think about the types of jobs they would like to apply for and offer to help them prepare an appropriate interview outfit.
September 1	Second-year move-in	If your student is planning to live off-campus in second-year, their move-in date may vary. If your student is living on-campus in second-year, they will receive information from housing about move-in dates and instructions. Check-in about their plans to move back to Waterloo and ask how you can help.