First Year Retreat
The First Year Retreat allows incoming students to connect with their classmates and learn about Engineering at Alberta during the early days of classes.
Under the leadership of upper-year mentors, you will have the opportunity to develop friendships with other first-year students and receive valuable advice in the early days of classes, earning you experiences that will support you through first year and beyond.
Registration and More Information
The First Year Engineering Retreat is an annual event hosted by the Engineering Student Society. This September 8-10th, 2023, will be our seventh year inviting incoming First Year Engineering students to a camp-style retreat held at Camp Warwa for a weekend of networking with upper-year student leaders, making lasting connections with other First Year students, and being introduced and welcomed to the broader University of Alberta engineering community. This is an excellent opportunity for First Year students to kick off the year with some new friends, opportunities to meet some mentors, and a very fun (and wholesome) weekend!
Buses to Camp Warwa will depart from the University of Alberta Engineering Quad at 5:00 p.m., on Friday, September 8th, and we will be returning to the same place at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 10th. Activities will include everything from an opportunity to test your engineering skills in a team vs. team engineering competition to an after-hours camp-fire games night. Accommodations for the weekend will either be heated indoor cabins or large tipis and tents, at the discretion of the camper. Food for the weekend is included in the ticket cost.
Indoor accommodations (cabins, heated) - $140.
Outdoor accommodations (tipis or tents, unheated) - $120.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email director.firstyear@ess.ualberta.ca.
Why Sign up for First Year Retreat?
First Year Retreat has always been hosted with the goal of connecting incoming students; we believe that developing solid friendships and being exposed to new people and opportunities are very important. We recognize the value of knowing people in your program to compare notes, discuss class topics, and compare assignments with. With the opportunity to make these connections while sitting beside someone under normal class conditions is not currently possible, this retreat has become even more valuable.
