Welcome Month 2020
Your first month of uni is a great chance to meet new people, settle into your accommodation and get to know your campus and city.
This year you can join in with an exciting mix of virtual events and face-to-face activities that will help you meet other students, make new friends, explore and join clubs and societies, get to grips with your studies and learn more about life at uni.
This year's Welcome Month will be extended over a longer period of time. We're planning a combination of virtual events and small face-to-face activities where safe to do so. Our events will help you meet other students and make new friends, explore clubs and societies, and learn more about university life.
You can also take the Countdown and Connect Challenge to kick start your academic year – whether you're a new or returning student.
Update on Welcome events
Please note that all Welcome activities have been planned in line with current Government guidance, which may change at any time.
For this reason, all events are being revised and updated, so please check individual events for further information before attending.
Key dates
- 7 September–16 November: Countdown and Connect Challenge
- 12–27 September: Moving in weeks
- 8 September–15 October: International Orientation (In-person, online and on-demand)
- 5–11 October: Course induction and Fresher's Fayre
You'll need to complete your registration before Welcome Month.
Themes
Welcome Month events are in 2 main themes – use them to help you plan your events diary and spot the events most important to you.
Course-related
Discover events that will help you get to know your course, classmates and your way around campus facilities.
Student life
Discover the opportunities available to you outside study by exploring societies, new hobbies and Portsmouth.
Support and guidance
Attending support and guidance events will help you get set up and prepared for the new year ahead.
Countdown and Connect Challenge
Register for the challenge and earn extra entries into the weekly prize draws by attending these events.
Jump to week
Moving in weeks
Moving in week is twice as long this year so your moving times can be staggered and we can give you the best chance for social distancing. Which means you'll get the opportunity to attend twice as many events on-campus and around the city in your first weeks of moving to uni.
If you're in halls you'll find events posted on your halls noticeboard and be sent updates to your student account email address. If you're in private accommodation or living at home, keep an eye on our welcome month events for moving in activities taking place outside of halls.
Find out more about moving into uni halls or private accommodation this year and discover the events you can join below. More details about events will be added closer to the start of term – so bookmark this page and keep checking back for information on what's on and how to join on.
Week 1: 12–20 September
Saturday 12 Sept
Scavenger hunt
Sunday 13 Sept
Video presentation: safety around campus
Monday 14 Sept
Induction talks on tour
5.00pm: Radio show
7.30pm: Ice-breaker evening
7.30pm: Art night
7.30pm: Debate night
7.30pm: Film night (Roald Dahl)
Society meet and great at Margaret Rule Hall
Cooking demonstrationPhoto competition launch
Chaplaincy Zoo launch
Tuesday 15 Sept
Inductions talks on tour
7.30pm: Society meet and greet
7.30pm: Games night
7.30pm: Playstation tournament
7.30pm: Ice-breaker evening
Virtual scavenger hunt
Trip to the Mary Rose Museum
Wednesday 16 Sept
Induction talks on tour
Virtual games night at Chaucer House
Virtual games night at Greetham Street
Virtual quiz night at Bateson Hall
Virtual Quiz night at Harry Law Hall
Silent bingo at Catherine House
Virtual scavenger hunt at Margaret Rule Hall
Purple Wednesday club night
Video presentation: travelling around Portsmouth
Digital footprint training
Thursday 17 Sept
Induction talks on tour
2.00pm: Virtual Crafternoon
7.30pm: Virtual scavenger hunt
Playstation tournament at Chaucer House
Society meet and greet at Catherine House
Scavenger hunt at Rosalind Franklin Hall
Silent bingo
Online safety
Friday 18 Sept
Induction talks on tour
7.30pm: Money management tips
Week 2: 21–27 September
Tuesday 22 Sept
Induction talks on tour
7.30pm: Playstation tournament
7.30pm: Virtual quiz night
7.30pm: Society meet and greet
Virtual games night at Greetham Street
Cooking demonstration
Wednesday 23 Sept
Induction talks on tour
7.30pm: Settling into uni
2.00pm: Welcome Ambassadors Connect
Thursday 24 Sept
Induction talks on tour
12.00pm: Trip to the Spinnaker Tower
2.00pm: Virtual Crafternoon
7.30pm: Virtual scavenger hunt
7.30pm: Art night
7.30pm: Playstation tournament
Society meet and greet at Chaucer House
12.00pm: 30 minute guide to finding part-time work
2.00pm: Google Suite Accessibility
3.00pm: Study Skills Virtual Cafe
Friday 25 Sept
Induction talks on tour
Week 3: 28 September – 4 October
If you're an international student, you can attend activities and events run by our Global Office in the 3rd week of Welcome Month. You'll get the opportunity to meet students from all over the world and the UK while trying out new hobbies, exploring the city and getting tips for your upcoming year. Find out more about International Orientation 2020.
Monday 28 Sept
Induction talks
12.00pm: Trip to the D-Day Story museum
5.00pm: Radio show
7.30pm: Book club
7.30pm: Language discovery
Tuesday 29 Sept
Induction talks
9.30am: Introduction to Google Suite
10.00am: Study Skills Virtual Cafe
12.00pm: 30 Minute Guide to Finding Part-time Work
2.00pm: Google Suite Q&A
11.00am: Art of Brilliance – The Why-Factor
Wednesday 30 Sept
Induction talks
2.00pm: Cooking demonstration
7.30pm: Society meet and greet
7.30pm: Art night
Purple Wednesday club night
10.00am: Writing Academic Paragraphs
12.00pm: Money and budgeting workshops
Thursday 1 Oct
Induction talks
7.30pm: Virtual scavenger hunt
7.30pm: Playstation tournament
11.00am: Writing An Argument
12.00pm: 30 Minute Guide to Finding Part-time Work
1.30pm: Introduction to Google Suite
2.00pm: Study Skills Virtual Cafe
Friday 2 Oct
Induction talks
11.00am: International Information Fair
7.30pm: Virtual petting zoo: share your pets
7.30pm: Film night
Week 4: 5–11 October
Course induction
You'll attend induction events to introduce you to your course tutors and hear more about our services including the Library, Careers and Employment, and the University Wellbeing Service. We'll contact you on your University email to tell you how to access your induction schedule before your first week, or find your timetable here:
Freshers' Fayre
Get involved with virtual Freshers' Fayre to meet our student groups, discover new hobbies, pick up freebies from student-friendly businesses across the city, and explore what the Students' Union offers.
Learn about student discounts with TOTUM, explore how the Union represents you, and find out about volunteering locally or abroad with the Union as a Course Representative or Challenge Leader.
Find out more about Freshers' Fayre 2020
Tuesday 6 Oct
Induction talks
10.00am: Tour of Portsmouth
Quiz
12.00pm: 30 Minute Guide to Finding Part-time Work
4.00pm: Finance at Four: Safe Credit
Wednesday 7 Oct
Induction talks
Postgraduate meet and greet
Purple Wednesday club night
2.00pm: Reading hacks: top tips for reading critically
3.00pm: Virtual Wellbeing Cafe
2.00pm: Welcome Ambassadors Connect
Thursday 8 Oct
Induction talks
Film night
Trip to Fratton Park football stadium
Week 5: 12–18 October
Monday 12 Oct
Tuesday 13 Oct
Wednesday 14 Oct
Film night
Purple Wednesday club night
Roadshow in the Southern Quarter
3.00pm: Virtual Wellbeing Café
Saturday 17 Oct
Virtual dance class
Week 6: 19–25 October
Monday 19 Oct
Quiz
Roadshow in the Northern Quarter
Tuesday 20 Oct
Roadshow in Central – Eldon
Wednesday 21 Oct
Purple Wednesday club night
Roadshow in the Southern Quarter
3.00pm: Virtual Wellbeing Café
2.00pm: Welcome Ambassadors Connect
Friday 23 Oct
Saturday 24 Oct
Virtual bingo
Week 7: 26 Oct – 1 November
Monday 26 Oct
Student parent mixer
Roadshow in the Northern Quarter
3.00pm: LinkedIn Learning Workshop
Tuesday 27 Oct
12.00pm: D-Day Story Museum Trip
Roadshow in Central – Eldon
10.00am: Ninja productivity workshop
10.30am: Working remotely workshop
1.30pm: Introduction to Google Suite
Wednesday 28 Oct
11.00am: Faith crawl
3.00pm: Religious Tour of Portsmouth
Purple Wednesday club night
Roadshow in the Southern Quarter
9.00am: Google Suite Q&A
10.30am: Google Suite Accessibility
Thursday 29 Oct
12.00pm: Child-friendly trip to the Blue Reef Aquarium
Roadshow in Central – St Andrew's Court
Saturday 31 Oct
Virtual themed quiz
Week 8: 2–8 November
Monday 2 Nov
Roadshow in the Northern Quarter
Wednesday 4 Nov
1.00pm: 30 Minute Guide to The Careers and Employability Service and How We Can Help You
2.00pm: 30 Minute Guide to Making the Most of Career Planning Online
3.00pm: Virtual Wellbeing Café
3.00pm: Welcome Ambassadors Connect
Thursday 5 Nov
Roadshow in Central – St Andrew's Court
Friday 6 Nov
Roadshow in the Northern Quarter
Saturday 7 Nov
Virtual bingo
Week 9: 9–15 November
Monday 9 Nov
3.00pm: Tour of Portsmouth
Roadshow in the Northern Quarter
4.00pm: Digital Footprint Training
Tuesday 10 Nov
3.30pm: Cooking demonstration
Roadshow in Central – Eldon
NHS Workshop – Sexual Health
Wednesday 11 Nov
Purple Wednesday club night
Roadshow in the Southern Quarter
10.30am: Digital Footprint Training
3.00pm: Virtual Wellbeing Café
3.00pm: Organising your Studies with Technology
NHS workshop – Reducing Drug Related Harm
Thursday 12 Nov
Roadshow in Central – St Andrew's Court
NHS workshop – Mental Health
Friday 13 Nov
Trip to the D-Day Story
Roadshow in the Northern Quarter
3.30pm: Organising your Studies with Technology
NHS workshop – Healthy eating
Saturday 14 Nov
Virtual dance class