The Freshmen Five: 5 Things I Wished I Knew Before Starting University

As a recent university graduate I can’t help but look back and think “I really could have made a lot more out of this experience”. While the university landscape can be overwhelming, in good ways and bad ones, there is no denying that keeping a few things in mind from the beginning can help you navigate through your time at school in order to get the most out of it. I hope that my perspective may be able to help you to take advantage of the beautiful, daunting and unforgettable experience that we call first year.

1. Not Everyone Around You is in University for the Same Reason
   Whatever your reason for starting university, remember, it is not the same thing motivating all of the people around you. I met people in my first year who only planned to stay for one semester to “experience university life”, people who planned to be in school for the next eight years in order to pursue a goal, and an array of students in between. In any case, two things are true. One: You can find other people with similar reasons to yours, and their friendship will be able to help you through the times that it seems impossible to accomplish your goals. Two: If you choose to, you can learn a lot from friendships with people who have different ideas, but don’t let their lifestyle keep you from your ambitions.

2. It is Okay to Change Your Ambitions
   Of those people that I met in first year, a very small percentage ended up graduating in the timeline or program that they initially expected. This is a time that you are learning who you are, so it is natural to change your goals if it feels right. Don’t let the idea of the perfect university experience stop you from actually experiencing university. Simply put, be open to change. I know too many people who were so determined to stay on a given path that they took years to finally accept that it was not right for them. You may end up doing exactly what you originally intended to do originally, but there is no harm in seeing your future with an open mind. Afterall, what better place to learn more about your ideal future than an institution full of peers exploring theirs?

3. Five Courses a Semester is Not Necessary
   Everybody learns at a different pace. If your course load is stopping you from making the most of your education or experience, you are welcome to personalize it. Wasting your time doing four years of “speed learning” that you will not process or remember, and living in nonstop stress is not necessarily beneficial. There are ways to spread out your classes with or without taking an extra year. Whatever you choose, it is totally up to you. Speak to a student advisor about alternatives that may work for you.

4. It takes Courage to Seek Help
   If you find yourself in a place that you need support emotionally, academically or otherwise, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. You just threw life as you knew it totally out of balance and plunged into a world that is alien to you. If you suddenly went to mars and started having trouble breathing- no one would blame or judge you for asking for an air tank. The same goes for university. It might not be easy to admit to yourself or others when you need assistance, but the support exists and taking the step to find it makes you a brave and self-aware individual. Never hesitate to talk to a residence advisor or a member of your school’s administration to point you in the right direction.

5. It Will be Over Before You Know it
   When that essay is way too hard to write or that lab is making you want to cry (or actually cry, trust me, I’ve been there) try to remember that in the long run, four years of your life is an incredibly short amount of time. It will feel like it passed faster than high school and for the most part, at the end of your schooling you will have made some amazing friends and memories that will make you want to cry (or actually cry, I’ve been there too) when you pack up your last box of belongings and move on to whatever comes next. It won’t always be easy to remember but, you are entering a formative and unique part of your life. The hardships may come but they will pass and so will the good times. So live everyday as if tomorrow was your lecture because one day, it will be.