Mentonese Students Buckle Their Seatbelts for Integration Week 2022

The first week of university is one of the most memorable and significant events in a student’s academic evolution. This year, Integration Week turned the page to a new chapter for 180 students of the Mentonese Sciences Po campus. In the “Ville de Citrons,” located on the shores of the French Riviera, Integration Week promised exhilarating events planned by our very own Bureau des Étudiants Integration Week Committee. Upon one’s first-ever moments in the sun-kissed “Pearl of France,” feelings of budding excitement bubble to the surface. This year’s incoming 1As proved high-spirited in the daunting face of friendship-building, and many confessed their eagerness to embark on their journey into the Mentonese mode de vie.

On Aug. 22, 2022, the beating of drums and Mentonese chants echoed throughout Rue Longue. This commotion originated from the “hype session,” in which our beloved campus mascot, Loulou, hyped us for the Bureau des Étudiants’ opening ceremony. The Menton campus was also welcomed back by Monsieur le Maire, Yves Juhel, and Madame la Directrice, Yasmina Touaibia, who greeted students warmly with her contagious smile. Once gathered in the grand amphitheater for the official opening ceremony, the student body was awestruck by the Menton cheerleading team’s smashing performance.

Shortly after, our two Integration Week hosts, 2As Riwa Hassan and Louai Allani, welcomed the Ummah to the Menaverse. This clever wordplay, combining “MENA” and “metaverse,” signaled to the audience that Menton would enter a stage of metamorphosis this academic year. Through what Allani expressed as adding a “pinch of digitalization to the Mediterranean,” the audience was thrilled to be introduced to the “revolutionary invention” of the “Pass Ummah,” designed with meticulous care by the Committee. The “Pass Ummah” was the personalized QR code that allowed students who bought Integration Week packages to access the planned events. It served as the high-tech alternative to the wristbands that former Integration Week committees opted for.

Hassan and Allani soon began reminiscing about the wonders of Menton and dedicated a special shoutout to José’s cat, baptized ‘Cat-Dafi’ by the student body the previous year. The Bureau President, Samy Bennouna, and Bureau Vice President, Lenora Dsouza, soon took the floor and offered insight into the tireless behind-the-scenes work carried out by the Committee’s executive team during the preceding summer. After a well-deserved round of applause for the Committee team, the Bureau des Arts blessed our ears with soothing live tunes from the music club.

Committee member, Viola Luraschi, reflected on the most rewarding aspects of her experience in integration week. She cheerfully explained that the 1As had fully embraced the Menton spirit with open arms and that she could not be more proud of how well all the events had panned out. However, she did affirm that there is a stark contrast between living the full-fledged experience of Integration Week and organizing the events. Another Committee member, Isabel Cronin, elaborated further by explaining that logistical issues cropped up but were tackled with solidarity and resilience. She was impressed by “how quickly the team could adapt and continue.” Clearly, the Committee’s strenuous efforts to churn out a successful week were not in vain. It was evident that both the first and second-years dearly appreciated the time the Bureau put into crafting the orientation events.

Highlights from Integration Week include the Kebab lunch, which managed to feed our ravenous Sciences Pistes, the Consent Talks held diligently by the Feminist Union on an annual basis, and the UEFA Conference League Nice match, which pleased our football enthusiasts. The drinking apparathon served the purpose of filling rooms with laughter, and the ‘ice’ was, without a doubt, broken among peers. However, the success of this event did not infringe upon the following “Le Festival Plage” party, which was deemed one of the “best Bureau des Étudiants parties ever” by a fellow 2A. Even the city-wide scavenger hunt united students in their mutual exploration of their new home.

On the final day of integration week, Environnementon led a hike on Nietzsche’s Path in Èze-sur-Mer; the subsequent beach day in Cap d’Ail was a fitting post-hike activity. The Nice bar hopping night similarly reflected our potential to bring Menton outside of Menton. The jam session was a massive hit as the Bureau des Arts musicians displayed their talent on stage during a Sablettes sunset.

Building up to the final party, “à la mentonnaise,” Integration Week would not be complete without a sweaty Soundproof party. In collaboration with the Babel association, the Committee pooled their creative juices to host a soirée themed upon the “six deadly sins” — 21st-century edition. Soundproof quickly devolved into a fiery sauna. As such, a Sablettes after-party was in order. Later that night, an anonymous source noted that hookup culture had decreased significantly compared to last year, and rumor has it that the student body has become interested in forming more profound and meaningful connections.

Nonetheless, by the end of a very tiresome week for us all, many students claimed to have come down with “Freshers Flu,” and some complained that their social battery was utterly drained. Understandably, following stressful days of accommodating new routines, symptoms of homesickness invariably started to kick in. Fortunately, the I-Homes night provided an ideal supportive outlet for 1As seeking expert 2A guidance.

It seems fair to suggest that after a fruitful integration week, we all wear our Menaverse shirts with pride. To borrow the Directrice’s words, “notre communauté est riche et continue à s’enrichir.” Indeed, every year, Menton witnesses new 1As blossom while 2As continue to flourish. We can only hope that after having welcomed the new academic year with open arms, we have succeeded in setting the standards high for next year’s Integration Week.