In photos: U of T campuses spring to life as students move into residence, head to first day of class
Jacob Domingo Chan, third from left, was among many first-year students who received a helping hand as they moved into residences on U of T's three campuses ahead of the new school year (photo by Polina Teif)
Published: September 3, 2024
The University of Toronto’s three campuses are abuzz with excitement as students from the Toronto region, across Canada and around the world kicked off a new school year.
The fall 2024 semester marked the first time that students on the St. George campus, U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga had their first day of classes on the same day, Sept. 3 – part of an effort to align key academic dates across the university.
AskMe Anything volunteers were also out in full force to offer tips and guidance, especially to the thousands of first-year students navigating the first day of their post-secondary education.
U of T President Meric Gertler welcomed new and returning students, as well as faculty, staff and librarians, in a video message released last week.
“[U of T] is an exciting place to be, and this is an exciting time to be a part of it,” he said.
Photographers were on hand across all three campuses in recent days to capture the sights – and energy – of a new academic year:
Welcome signs wrap U of T’s main gates on the St. George campus as students make their way to and from classes on the first day of a new school year.
The weeks leading up to the first day of school featured plenty of enthusiasm as students and their families carted belongings into residences at U of T Mississauga.
At St. George, volunteers and residence staff were on hand to provide a warm welcome, refreshments and help hoisting bins and boxes.
“I was nervous at first, but everyone’s been so welcoming,” said University College student Cassidy Smith, who posed for an Aug. 25 photo with her mother as she moved into her dorm.
“There’s such a good energy around the place and I can feel that this is going to be like a second home to me."
At U of T Scarborough, luggage carts – and several volunteers – helped ferry students’ belongings between the parking lot and residence buildings.
Gabriella Baichwal, who was born in Toronto and grew up in Chicago, joked that she “brought way too much stuff” to fill up her single room in Trinity College on the St. George campus.
“I brought all my clothes, a mini-fridge and all of this stuff, and I feel like a spoiled brat. But that’s OK – you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do,” said Baichwal, as her parents helped unload items from their vehicle’s roof.
Her father, Ravi Baichwal, whose own father went to grad school at U of T in the 1960s after moving from India, said he was “incredibly proud” of his daughter for following in her grandfather’s footsteps.
“I have that incredible pit of anxiety and hope all mixed up into one,” he said.
There were plenty of opportunities for students to meet new friends, showcase their school spirit and learn about extra-curricular opportunities at the tri-campus cheer-off event and clubs carnival held on the St. George campus ahead of the Labour Day long weekend.
More than 300 U of T clubs were present at the clubs carnival, an annual event organized by the U of T Students' Union. There is also a Student Groups Fair on Sept. 5 and 6 at U of T Mississauga, and a UTSC Clubs Fair at U of T Scarborough on Sept. 23.
Orientation programs at U of T Mississauga included a painting activity that invited students to harness their creativity.
It was all smiles at U of T Scarborough as students, friends and family settled in for the fall term.
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