In this week’s blog, we reached out to some of our community members and asked them to give us one piece of advice they would give to their first-year self and here are some of the responses we got.
Manage your time
Some of our respondents talked about managing their time better. Going from High School to University is a major transition. In High School, most people said they could leave studying and assignments to the last minute but in University and College, that wasn’t the case.
Get out and meet people
Some of our respondents said they regretted not meeting new people once they got to University. Some felt once all was said and done, they had an education and a degree but had not really taken the time to meet people and build their network and they felt this took away from the overall experience.
Some of our respondents said to explore the city and province and really just get to know your backyard. You would be surprised at what you might find if you just take the time to look.
Do not spend all your time studying
Some of our respondents said they spent a lot of time studying and did not get a chance to make the most of their overall experience. This is a tough one especially if you are competing for scholarships or want a high GPA. However, always keep work life balance in mind as you go through school and make some time to have fun. Work hard and play hard.
Learn to budget
Some of our respondents said they were careless with their money and could have done a better job of budgeting and planning. To be fair, if this is the first time you are living away from home, it does take some time to learn how to budget. Keep in mind most campuses have student financial literacy services and courses that are available to students for free or at a reasonable cost, and this could help you with the transition
Do not be afraid to ask for help
One of our respondents said she did not speak to a student advisor until it was too late, and had she done it earlier, she would have saved herself a lot of time, stress and money. If you have trouble with courses or making the transition, be sure to reach out to an advisor, professor, or classmate. You never know how they may be able to improve your situation.
Take advantage of facilities and explore the campus
One of our respondents said he did not realise how much stuff was on campus until his parents came for his graduation and asked for a tour. Once he took them around campus, he saw quite a few sights and sounds that were on campus that he was not aware of. Keep in mind most campuses have tour programs for new and prospective students, so don’t be afraid to sign up.
Get involved
There are a lot of clubs, activities and groups of like-minded people on campus. It’s a great way to stay healthy, release some steam and meet many new people in the process. You might even find your new passion.
If you have any other ideas, please comment below, contact us or comment on our social media.