By: Erica Bettan

I remember the last day of school like it was yesterday. Exams were over and so was... high school. I remember everyone running around frantic trying to get those last-minute signatures in our year books. I remember going to Graduation, putting on my hat and gown, smiling from ear-to-ear. Everyone was so nervous. This was it. This was our high school graduation. And in a matter of what seemed like seconds, we were Graduates and this was going to be the last time we’d see each other.

Then summer came. Everyone went their own separate ways and now it was time to focus on the next adventure waiting ahead of us – University. At the time, the word “university” seemed to draw some horrid images to my imagination. The daunting lecture halls, the intimidating profs, and midterms that were worth 80% of your final grade...It was terrifying!

So I guess you can imagine, as a student preparing for first year university, I was quite stressed out. Here’s why: first off, I would have to pay for tuition which wasn’t cheap, then I had to find and buy books which weren't cheap either, and finally I had to print out my schedule which made no sense at all. Then, after all of that, there was an orientation tour around campus, but I didn't know anyone to go with!

But then something cool happened. I got to University, made it through the first few days and discovered that I was starting to relax. I discovered that University is not actually as scary as I thought it was going to be at first. In fact, it can actually be a lot of fun!

So here’s my little step-by-step guide to not only get through your first year, but to also make it something you’ll actually enjoy.

Step 1: Come Prepared

As silly as it sounds, university students are often stressed out because they don’t prepare themselves ahead of time. Whether it’s for lectures, tests, presentations, interviews, what have you, you need to know what’s going on before you actually start whatever it is you’re going to do. So here’s a tip, if your professor posts his/her notes before a lecture, take the time to read them before you go to class. This will not only help you understand the material better when the professor explains it, but it will give you an opportunity to get any confusion out of the way or to come up with questions you could ask during class.

Another thing is the textbook. There’s a reason why we have to buy it. Its purpose is not to sit on our shelves and collect dust (though it can definitely be used as a giant paper weight some days). It’s a good idea to read over the chapter before or while the professor is discussing the topic. Take the time to make your own notes, practice the material with questions and focus your attention on the big ideas.

Step 2: Study with Ease

With University, comes stress. It’s a given and it’s not going away. But it’s how you manage that stress that makes the difference and the first step in doing that, is learning how to study. Now you may say, “Erica, I already know how to study. I graduated from high school and I got accepted to a program at a University, didn’t I?" Yes, that may be true, but it doesn't mean that the studying habits that you used in high school are going to work as well in University.

In every new learning environment, you have to change a little. Like I mentioned before, coming prepared is a smart technique for success, and it is a new step I have been taking since arriving at York. Therefore something of importance is your willingness to change bad habits into good ones. I’m not saying that you have to do an overhaul of the way you study(though that may be the case), I’m saying try to be open about learning different strategies that will make you less stressed out and a little bit more relaxed.

For example, learn the prof’s technique – especially when it comes to tests. If a math professor repeats a concept in class more than once, chances are it will be on the test. If your English professor tells you how to support a thesis in a certain way, try it out – practice. The key idea is to learn and see that in University, profs no longer focus on the itty-bitty details, but rather the broader connections between a specific topic and others mentioned throughout the course.

Step 3: Get Involved

Upon coming to York University, I realized very quickly that Keele is a huge campus and that that it is very easy for first year students to feel lost in the shuffle, especially when walking through Vari Hall to Central Square at lunch time. But you can learn to appreciate York for its size because one nice thing about such a huge campus, is that there are lots of ways to get involved.

For example, I got involved with the student program SLDP this year and this article that I am writing to you is one of the many things I have been able to do there. I get to promote student leadership, get involved in may school and therefore, not feel like I’m lost in the shuffle.

So whether you’re into sports, student organizations, and art clubs – York’s got it all. The first step – once you relax a little and settle in – is to start looking.

Step 4: Have Fun

There are many opportunities to have some fun at York University. If you weren’t able to attend Frosh at the beginning of the year, that’s okay, there are still many things you can do at York. There are movie nights, where you can catch a flick with some friends (information usually posted in Vari Hall), theatrical performances, events at the Student Centre, clubs and sports, socials, semi-formals and more! However, the key thing to remember, especially as a first year student, is to be safe and be legal. There’s nothing wrong with a little fun, but I caution you to remember that York is still a school and you are still a student. With your new freedom, comes new responsibilities.

As you can see, the world of University is not such a scary place. Just keep up with your studies, have some fun and you’ll be in second year before you know it. Remember that if you have any questions about anything going on at York (like current events, how to decide next year’s courses or when’s the next social), there is always someone who can lend you a hand and answer your questions.