For the incoming freshmen, the kick-off to the fall semester looked brighter than previous years as one of the most exciting on-campus events at Oakland University – Grizz Festival – was held back in person at Elliott Tower this year.

Grizz Festival, previously called GrizzFest, offers a plethora of opportunities for students to get involved and find activities or organizations that they are interested in.

“I was super excited to have GrizzFest back in person. I was really happy when my office and I came up with the idea of Grizz Festival,” Jennifer Yetter, programming assistant in the OSI, said. “It was just great to have everyone back and see all the students and organizations. All 3 days [so far], there has been a great turnout and it’s so cool that students want to get involved.”

Although the Grizz Festival was held in person this year, maintaining everyone’s safety was the number one concern for the OSI when they planned the event, according to Yetter.

“We just wanted to make sure this event was as safe as possible, so that is why we decided to spread it out amongst 4 days,” Yetter said.

To accommodate the safety concern, they spread out the groups and organizations into different days. This plan allowed a larger space in between stations to prevent close contact between individuals.

To provide a quick recap of the 4-day long Grizz Festival, on Tuesday, we had representatives from the Student Affairs, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Academic Departments and Meadow Brook. On Wednesday, students were with nonprofits, community businesses and preferred vendors. On Thursday with student organizations and club sports, and finally on Friday with Greek organizations and Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee (SAFAC).

In addition to Grizz Festival, 2021 Welcome Week included “The Walk” to Meadow Brook Hall, a music exhibition presented by the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, BBQ party, international welcome reception, “March for Heroes,” etc.

While the first week of a new semester may sound daunting and intimidating, a variety of events during the welcome week will help lighten students’ burdens and even help develop connections within the campus community with involvement.

There are currently over 300 student-run organizations OU offers. Students can look forward to meeting other students, learning about different organizations and club sports.

“The OSI is your place to come if you want to get involved on campus, or if you are looking for volunteer opportunities, we really are a one-stop-shop place on campus,” Yetter said. “We have a lot of fun in our office, and we love helping students get involved.”

For more information on the OSI and events they host, visit its website. If you’re interested in joining an organization, visit GrizzOrgs.