Integrating Friendlier into New Student Orientation (Higher Ed / K12)

Your first-year students are the heart of the Friendlier program. They're the most likely to eat on campus - and the habits they form in the first few weeks often stick for the rest of their post-secondary journey. That’s why early awareness, clear guidance, and peer reinforcement are key to long-term success.

Why First-Years Matter

Orientation week is more than just a welcome - it’s the perfect window to introduce reuse as the norm. By weaving Friendlier into early student experiences, you're setting the tone for a cleaner, more sustainable campus culture.

Best Practices for Engaging First-Years

• Posters & Flyers
  Hang signage in high-traffic student spaces - residence lobbies, dining areas, lounges, elevators, and hallway bulletin boards.

• Equip Dons & Orientation Leaders
  Provide Residence Advisors and student leaders with a one-pager or cheat sheet that explains:

  • What Friendlier is

  • How to scan and return

  • How to get your deposit back

  • Why it matters for the environment and the campus

• Build It into Orientation
  Encourage Dons to include Friendlier in their first-week walkthroughs, presentations, or events. This will often be a student’s first exposure to the system, so clarity and enthusiasm go a long way.

• Use Instagram Stories & FAQ Posts
  Share simple, engaging content that explains how it works. Stories and carousel posts help students access info quickly when they need it, especially during those first few meals.

• Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)
  Ask Dons or student volunteers to film short TikToks or Reels using our provided scripts. Examples:

  • “How do you feel knowing your containers aren't ending up in landfills?”

  • “How much money have you gotten back from Friendlier?”

  Peer-led content is one of the fastest ways to normalize behaviour and increase participation.

See our First Year Orientation One-Pager

See our UGC Content Ideas