About Welcome to the U
Welcome to the U is series of immersive opportunities during the first several weeks of the semester for students to explore the university its community, resources, values, and expectations through social events, community building, and leadership opportunities.
Through your active participation in Welcome to the U you will:
- Engage with the campus community;
- Connect with peers, student leaders, faculty, and staff; and
- Foster healthy habits to start the semester off strong.
Below is the Spring 2026 Schedule!
Spring 2026 Welcome to the U Events Schedule
Wednesday, January 28
| Welcome Breakfast 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Marriott Center | Enjoy some free breakfast as a new UMass student! |
| Ice Skating 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Mullins Center | Enjoy an hour of free ice skating at the Mullins practice rink! |
| Glow-in-the-Dark Laser Tag 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Campus Center Auditorium | Play glow-in-the-dark laser tag in the Campus Center Auditorium. |
| Transfer Mixer 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Amherst Room | Meet other transfer students that are new to UMass! Snacks will be provided. |
| Online Ready for the U Merch Pick-Up 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Mariott Center 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Campus Center, Room 163C | Come and pick up your new UMass merchandise during the Welcome Breakfast or Cookie Decorating event! |
| Hot Chocolate and Cookie Decorating 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Campus Center, 163C | Enjoy some hot chocolate and decorate your own cookies! |
| Indoor Mini Golf 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Campus Center Auditorium | Come play indoor mini golf in the Campus Center Auditorium. |
| Movie Night: Now You See Me: Now You Don't 7 p.m. –10 p.m. Amherst Room | Join us in the Campus Center Amherst Room to watch Now You See Me: Now You Don't. Movie snacks and drinks will be provided. |
Thursday, January 29
| Bingo! 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. Du Bois Library, RECESS, 2nd floor | Come out and meet new people and have a chance to win fun cool UMass themed prizes! |
Tuesday, February 3
| ESO Spring Expo 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. Student Union Ballroom and Cape Cod | Interested in joining an Established Student Organization? The Spring Expo is an amazing opportunity to explore an array of organizations at UMass! The event will take place on 2/3/26 and 2/4/26 with different organizations present each day. |
Tuesday, February 4
| ESO Spring Expo 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. Student Union Ballroom and Cape Cod | Interested in joining an Established Student Organization? The Spring Expo is an amazing opportunity to explore an array of organizations at UMass! The event will take place on 2/3/26 and 2/4/26 with different organizations present each day. |
Thursday, February 5
| Craft Night: Spring Door Decorations 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. Du Bois Library, Floor 2, RECESS | Make a spring-themed decoration for your residence room door. *First-come, first-served. |
Friday, February 6
| 3rd Annual Queer Artisans Market 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Student Union Ballroom | Get handmade gifts for Valentine's Day or just for fun from LGBTQIA+ artisans who create work in a wide variety of media. |
Wednesday, February 11
| Week of Wellbeing Symposium 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Student Union Ballroom | The UMass Okanagan Week of Wellbeing (WoW) takes place from February 7-14, 2026 for a celebration in a cross-campus collaboration. |