The neighbours won't complain but passersby might stop to watch the host of headphoned dancers moving to a soundless beat on the Parade Ground on QUT's Kelvin Grove campus on Thursday as the uni welcomes almost 12,000 new students with Orientation Week.
The Silent Dance Party on Thursday (23 February) followed by the UQ vs QUT Toga Party on Friday (24 February), when the two unis take a tilt at the Guinness World Record for the largest toga party, are just two of the line-up of social events to smoothe the move into uni.
As always, QUT is marking the important moment of starting university with a free t-shirt for the first-year students. As per tradition, the design and colours are changed every year so that each year's choice is unique.
The t-shirts come in two styles in red, purple, black and grey with designs featuring the 'real' or QUT logo.
All students can pick up on a wristband in their faculty colour from the Orientation tent. The wristbands carry inspirational quotes and help students identify and meet other first years in their faculty.
To ease the transition to uni, tours and workshops in everything from library navigation to writing and proofreading skills are held this week and next.
Keeping tabs on all the essential academic and social events has been made simple with the new "Connect with QUT" part of the QUT iPhone app available on iTunes.
QUT student engagement manager Peter Gatbonton said Connect with QUT uses games to engage students in the orientation process.
"Connect with QUT makes orientation fun. It encourages students to meet others, explore the campus, complete challenges and join O-week events," Mr Gatbonton said.
"Students will have a chance to win weekly prizes, including an iPad2 in week 4 and we hope the competitive element will create a buzz on campus.
"Coming to university is an exciting, but sometimes disorientating, experience.
"While it is important to attend the essential academic orientation sessions, it's also important for students to create a network of peers within their first weeks at university.
"It's proven that students with strong peer support networks are more likely to succeed at university - that's why we create these opportunities for interaction."
Other O-week events organised by QUT include:
•East West Eats
•Barefoot Bowls
•The Amazing QUT Race:
•Experience Australiana
For more information check out the orientation site.
Media contact: Niki Widdowson, QUT media officer, 07 3138 1841 or n.widdowson@qut.edu.au.
