FirstWeek, the EUSS's orientation program for the first year Engineering Science students, is a chance for first years to meet each other, as well as get acquainted with the various upper and n^th year students. Throughout the first week of classes, the EUSS holds several barbeques, an on-campus scavanger hunt, and broomball.

There must be some sort of award for those who attend all of the FirstWeek events and still stay on top of their homework. While the daytime activities may seem a little tame, the evening activities are not for the faint of heart.

The first of these activities, broomball, consists of finding out how many different directions your spine can bend as you chase a small utility ball across an ice rink in hopes of batting it into a (hopefully the opposition's) net. By the time 1:30 rolls around, you get to leave the rink sweaty, hot, yet strangely satisfied.

Seriously, as a first year, this was a great way to meet new people. If you missed out on it this year, go back for the experience in Year Two. It's worth it.

The crowning glory of FirstWeek is dubbed "Midnight Madness" because:

1) Midnight is one of the hours you’ll spend participating in it, and 2) Most of the stuff involved is madness.

Between the recital of Shakespeare in front of Metrotown Center, an early morning jaunt up Cypress and the ransacking of a couple of houses in search of scavanger hunt items, (including a drum kit, Vancouver Canuck, nuclear device and a dripping kleenex) friendships were made and familiar faces began to appear from the masses of the Physics, Chem, and Math classes. Picket lines were crossed, judges were bribed, and several appearances in the local media were made. (Thanks Fox)

FirstWeek was an event definitely not to be missed. While we as engineers have to deal with some of the hardest coursework around, it's comforting to know that life isn't entirely serious.

Oh yes, did I mention we also frisked a cop?