RESIDENCE REP!!
DANIELLE LORENZ, MACINSIDERS
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Deep in the heart of the West Quad Jungle, you
can hear the West Quad rumble. You listen to them. You can also see them; colourfully adorned and decorated. They are ready to...Welcome?
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Your first encounter with them was when they sprinted over to your car and sang you a little song. Afterwards, they promptly unloaded all of your belongings and sent them up to your room (and maybe a fan got a little bit lost along the way?). They have obscure names. They are your Welcome Week Residence Reps.
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It is their
chief responsibility to welcome you to your new home. They teach you about tradition; both of your residence but McMaster as a whole. For the past three September s, I have been lucky enough to have this opportunity. And it is highly likely that I will be doing the same thing next September too. The first time I was a rep, I was luckily enough to be representing the residence I lived in the year previous (Whidden Whidden Whidden! Bash Bash Bash!!). Although for the next two years I ended up in a different residence (Hey Bates...Fire it up!), I still had a blast and a half.
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I was told by one of my Welcome Week reps, Rammer, that regardless of how much you enjoyed your Welcome Week as a first year, you have a lot more fun as a rep. I found that to be true each and every year. I have passed on the same advice each year to my frosh, and for the past two years I have had feedback from them, telling me the same thing.
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As reps you form bonds, ones stronger than covalent bonds.
These bonds occur with both your co-reps (you spend 10 days together, for at least eight hours a day; it can’t not happen), your frosh, and also to some extent the IRC and RLS staff in the building you rep for. More than three years after my own Welcome Week, I am still in contact with a few of my own reps. And I still talk to and hang out with my frosh from along the years as well. It’s also not uncommon for me to be called by my rep name, or to address my reps, or fellow co-reps by their names. These may be some of the best relationships you form in university.
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And all of this without a single drop of rum. As a rep, you are under a contract and there are rules you must abide by; one of which being you will not drink any alcohol for the duration of Welcome Week. There are other things too, you must be aware of. First off, you are not paid; this is strictly a volunteer position. Some of your meals are paid for, but for the most you are on your own. During the summer months you are expected to keep in contact with your HPA in order to help them plan out the various events of the week, as well as themes, t-shirt designs, and cheers. Your summer is shortened: mandatory training for Welcome Week starts the Wednesday before the Labour Day weekend lasting for three days, and Welcome Week starts bright and early the Saturday of that same weekend.
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During Welcome Week, your days are at the very least twelve hours long. Staying until past midnight is not uncommon, and some days you need to be there for
7AM. You do not know what sleep deprivation and exhaustion is until you are a Res Rep. You are expected to help for your entire residence’s move-in; which is about seven to eight hours. You are constantly lifting, cheering, and directing. And sometimes (always?) carrying items up the stairs (Brandon has 11 floors...I’ve only ever had to climb up five flights, and that was still tiring) because the elevator(s) conk out on you. And you have to help your sister residence move-in the other day too (although for not as long). Extreme heat (like this year) in those polyester suits is not fun, dehydration is normal. Or, you get the opposite, which is rain; being damp is only slightly more tolerable than being dehydrated.
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Despite this, I have not yet met a rap who has regretted their decision. Many reps go on to rep again, although some go to do Maroons, Faculties or SOCS. But then there are repeat offenders, such as myself who are res reps every year.
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You may also think that you must be loud, obnoxious and gregarious to make a good rep. This is not true at all; I have seen some very shy people make very good reps. It may or may not have to do with the suit: it gives you confidence (me too! I’m more confident in my suit).
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Like other positions at school, you must attend the info
session in order to make the first cut. It will outline other logistical things; such as how the application system works, and what you can expect as a rep (but I’m pretty sure I’ve gotten than covered here). One session is this Wednesday on the 30th (10:15 - 11:15pm). One is on the 5th (5:30-6:30pm), and the last on the 13th (10:15-11:15pm); all are in Council Chambers, Gilmour Hall (across from Career Services).
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And now for the shout-outs...
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To my reps: E-Mac, Tops, Hondo, Sizzle, Superstar, Bambi, Scuzi, Kwota, Staples, Mumu, Snitch and Rammer; thank you for the inspiration. And thank you for coming back in your suits for Welcome Week 2005 to help us out with the Bedraces Pep Rally.
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To the Whidden 2005 Team: Pops, Roo/Veto, Duffman/Akorn, Gromit, Honeybun, Sunshine, Trigger, Casanova, Q-Bert/Jello, Slightly/Slightlier, Head Butt Girl and Plonk; the ribbon we used for Bedraces was pivotal. I’m so glad to have repped with you, it continued what was an awesome first year in an awesome res.
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To the Bates 2006 Team: Sizzles, Jewelz, Butter, Beta, Rex, Dice, Chowda, Bud, Chicka, Pitch, J-dawg, and Chi-Chi; we eliminated the stigma against Bates. That was awesome.
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To the Bates 2007 Team: Baron, Blackout, Justin King of the Unicorns (JKU), Borat, Akorn/Duffman, Taz, Tetley, Banjo, Lil Fizz, Scaramouche, Nacho, Cinnamon, and Mr. Christie/Calgary; this team was so unique. I got to rep with friends from res, a previous co-rep, as well as frosh from two different years. I will never forget how well and how far we got Bates as res....FIRST PLACE IN AIRBANDS!!!
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And thanks to MSU Pres Ryan Moran for everything he did for and with Bates! You really enhanced everything for the students, and made their Welcome Week an awesome one too.
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For all of the other reps I befriended along the years: Pix, Porche, Tink/Inspector Clouseau/Fingers, Aqua, Wheaties, Hot Pants, Scotty, Swiss, Wingman, Monster/Squishee/Rocky, Crazy Eyes, Fluoride, Ace, Kodiak, the Llyod Twins, A-Team, and many IRC, faculty Maroons and SOCS reps; thank you for enhancing the rep experience that year(s)! Even though you weren’t on my team, you still made the week amazing.
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Last, but certainly not least I would like to thank: Rezult, Fajita/Clutch, Zee, Lusty, Tank, Skittles, Bunk/Diamond, T-Spoon, Boxy, JKU, Blackout and Calgary/Mr. Christie (and anyone I may have missed!); for keeping the tradition alive. I’m so happy to have had frosh who have wanted to do this too!
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WHOOOOOO WELCOME WEEK!
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Okay, I’m done now.
