Books instead of booze: QPIRG McGill’s Rad Frosh hosts a back-to-school bash at Il Motore

It’s that time of year again: fresh-faced students arrive in our fair city, sporting a wealth of matching neon outfits, traveling around in rowdy roving packs, and littering the streets with beer bottles and vomit. Yes, frosh is upon us. Perhaps there’s a rebellious allure to waking up with a murderous hangover and a tome of regret, but for froshers looking for more than just binge drinking and foam parties, QPIRG McGill hosts its annual Rad Frosh.

The 3-day alternative orientation program is coordinated by the McGill chapter of QPIRG. QPIRG, which stands for Quebec Public Interest Research Group, is a volunteer-driven, non-profit student organization that deals with social justice and environmental issues. Whereas traditional frosh is fueled almost entirely with a hedonistic politic, Rad Frosh seeks to instill over 200 first-year students with a sense of community. Likewise, the program encourages apt pupils to engage with Montreal at large, rather than limit their experiences to the confines of a campus.

Newbies are treated to a variety of workshops, covering subject matter such as student activism, food politics, urban agriculture, and harm reduction. There are also walking tours that bring new Montrealers a more nuanced view of the city and its history. One of these tours maps the city’s queer scene, and how its geography has changed over time.  

Rad Frosh culminates with a concert at Il Motore on Saturday night, featuring Rae Spoon, Ayo Leilani, Secret Trial5, and DJs Julie D & Petit-Loup Chou. All of the show’s proceeds will go to the Immigrant Workers Center. With its exciting line-up, the gig and/or party is a great way to begin the school year, and to support an important local organization.

Essentially, Rad Frosh shows students that it’s possible to have fun, while building meaningful relationships and remaining socially conscientious. And it’s a recipe that works. As Rad Frosh Campus Coordinator Adam Wheeler points out, this progressive form of orientation is no longer the new kid in class.

"QPIRG-McGill has coordinated the program for well over a decade now, as one of its many initiatives to bridge campus and community. By creating opportunities for students to become involved with its many amazing projects and working groups, as well as many other collectives, we hope to engage students in working towards social change."

Secret Trial5, Ayo Leilani, Rae Spoon, with DJs Julie D & Petit-Loup Chou
Saturday, September 3 at 8 p.m.
Il Motore | 179 Jean-Talon W. | ilmotore.ca