This Week | Thursday, February 24,2022 durhamregion.com | 14 Starting university is one of life's big milestones. It's a time when young people begin to understand who they are, become more independent, meet new people and build community. The experience is often equal parts exciting and anxiety-inducing. Starting university during a global pandemic adds another level of uncertainty without the comfort of personal connection to help assuage fears and build confidence. For universities, one of the big hurdles we all now face is how to welcome new students and make them feel part of our community. The first year is a time when students start to learn what their chosen university is all about, its values, as well as all the many resources available to them. Before the pandemic, this all happened on campus and in person. Thankfully, for each of the many challenges the COVID-19 pandemic continues to put in front of us, there is also an opportunity to innovate and do better. This is one of the lessons that has carried us through the last two years. To help ease the transition of first- and second- year undergraduate students and enhance their experience, Ryerson put together the First-Year Experience Initiative. This project team developed NavigateRU, a website and unique program designed to help our newest students build confidence as they make the leap to this next stage in their lives and prepare them to navigate the university experience virtually. The initiative worked closely with our Tri-Mentoring Program (TMP), which has helped more than 20,000 students transition to university life through peer-to-peer, group and career mentoring since its inception nearly 20 years ago. The result: a comprehensive program based on well-established learnings and best practices, available on People- Grove the TMP Community Portal. NavigateRU offers learning modules and resources to help students understand and navigate the key themes or pathways of student life: identity, well-being, community, learning, systems and structures, and create the university experience they want for themselves. These learning modules are asynchronous and students can access them online as they need them, and/or enhance their learning by registering for the NavigateRU program. By providing a way to connect and offer encouragement and support when in-person interaction is not possible, NavigateRU is the bridge taking students from one chapter in their lives to this new chapter. It has become an important tool, letting students know it's OK to be nervous, to embrace their feelings and to ask for help when they need it. Mohamed Lachemi is president and vice-chancellor of Ryerson University. BUILDING CONNECTION IN A VIRTUAL WORLD OPINION: OUR CHANGED WORLD PROGRAM AN IMPORTANT TOOL TO SUPPORT STUDENTS, SAYS LACHEMI MOHAMED LACHEMI Column Nothing has become more ubiquitous during the pandemic than the sight of couriers and delivery trucks dropping off packages in neighbourhoods. Restrictions have accelerated online shopping with people ordering almost everything from home. While most people can't wait to get back to "normal," some fear that habits formed during the on-and-off closures are here to stay, wondering whether physical retail is in peril. Despite what one could think, the future is bright. Stores continue to play an important role. Some shops closed, but others opened. Online shopping will stay, but many will prefer on-site visits. Recent surveys reveal that consumers miss in-store experiences and that over 70 per cent expect to have interactions with physical stores post-pandemic. However, as customers return to stores, we realize that their attitudes have changed. They shop more across channels, moving seamlessly between online and off-line. They are also becoming used to social commerce, buying while scrolling through Instagram or TikTok feeds. Their expectations have also evolved. More demanding and much more knowledgeable, they may go to the store only after having already been inspired by an online brand discovery. Customers will be hungry, post-pandemic, for social interactions: going out and shopping with friends and family will make a comeback. Certainly, shopping conditions will have changed. Security, cleanliness and a desire for less crowded spaces will be top-of-mind for retailers and shoppers alike. Stores will remain the core of the brand value, allowing for better connections between consumers and brands and increasing the value of the experience. Some things changed though: the pandemic has revealed the weaknesses of retail business, such as staff's low wages and poor working conditions, leading to a labour gap. Retailers who wish to thrive will have to focus on quality experiences for their employees as much as for their clients. The pandemic has hit hard all sectors that rely on face-to-face interactions. Government-imposed restrictions have wreaked havoc on the retail and hospitality sectors ... and the present remains uncertain: limited capacity in stores, people's fears of visiting crowded areas and the convenience of being able to shop from home remain major concerns for professionals. Convenience remains key. Shoppers have gotten used to having anything delivered to their door in 24 hours or less. Retailers must now combine in-store service with online shopping experiences that help consumers make choices and order. The store must be a welcoming environment. Service quality and hospitality will be key for successful recovery. Frederic Dimanche is professor and director at the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ryerson University. Solange Strom is an entrepreneur in retail and visionary CEO with more than two decades of experience leading global brands. IS PHYSICAL RETAIL IN PERIL? SERVICE QUALITY, HOSPITALITY KEY FOR SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY: EXPERTS SOLANGE STROM Column FREDERIC DIMANCHE Column