As we say farewell to fall…

A letter of advice to first years

It seems like just yesterday that the semester was starting and the weather began changing. The start of each new school year brings in a lot of excitement that dies down after the first week and is immediately replaced with tremendous fear of the impending doom that awaits us. And that doom is here, folks. There are two weeks left until the semester ends. That changing weather? It’s created a new atmosphere, as if to that warn us of what is to come. 

Having graduated in 2023 and being back in school again a year later, there are many changes in the university. Many of our old favourite food spots are gone, and construction is ongoing in a few areas around campus, meaning seating spaces have changed. I find myself feeling nostalgia for a very different time during my first year of university. In my opinion, 2018 was the best year to start university. I was fresh out of high school, brimming with hope for the future and full of new ideas. I was very certain of what I wanted to study. Yes, I am still holding onto life before the pandemic. I know I need to let go, but there was a simplicity in the way things used to be. I took campus life for granted. I took our world at the time for granted.  Now, years later, I feel immense gratitude that although things will never be the same, we are making space for a new reality on campus.

I know that those of you who are in your first ever semester of university have learned a lot about yourself, but I want to offer some advice to you as you bid the fall semester farewell.  You need to manage your time efficiently. Finals are on the way, and we all know how that goes. Study smart, not hard. Use all of the resources available to you on campus such as the Student Success Centre. Plan out your studying schedule.  

Don’t be too hard on yourself, be just hard enough on yourself. You are paying money to attend school. It is not free unfortunately, so don’t treat it as if it is. If you’re unsure about your major, there are plenty of options for you, however these are the two that I personally recommend:

1. You can either take a semester or year off and save your money or, 
2. You can shop around and take a few classes that are in the areas of study you are interested in. 

Time and time again, I see people who are two years in and still undecided. Please don’t throw tomatoes at me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking your time to decide what you want to do, however, my point is that while you are deciding, you still have to pay your tuition fees, and that adds up really fast. Take it from me, there is no rush. University will always be here even if you decide to take a semester off.  

It is completely okay if you feel humbled by your grades. There is a learning curve. You will figure it out. In my first semester of university, I remember how poorly I did on my first midterm. I genuinely felt like my life was over. I was so distraught and upset. I really thought that was it for me. Now, I look back on that midterm and laugh, but not for the reasons you think. You will continue to surprise yourself as your years at the university continue. I have had some extremely difficult classes over the years.  In some of those classes, I did poorly on an assignment or midterm, much more poorly than I did in 2018. It is not the end of the world. There are times I did so poorly on an assignment that I couldn’t even cry. I just had to laugh because I never knew I was capable of getting such a terrible grade! 

All of this to say, you are not the only one. People do not like to own up to their failures. Your classmates will not tell you that they got a 49% on that assignment, but the moment they get an 86%, they will be very quick to let you know it. You’re only shown the highlight reels, and so, I happily write to you about my downfalls. I want you to know that you are not alone. It does get better. You will settle into yourself. You will grasp the material and understand it better. And you will pass that class. It might take a lot of anxiety, sleepless nights, fear, and tears, but you will pass it. And then you can cross that off your list and remind yourself that you CAN do difficult things.  

The biggest mistake that I made in my undergraduate years is that I did not exhaust all of the resources available to me on campus, many of these being resources that I was paying for as part of my tuition fees. Use the writing center. Get help with your essays and your assignments. These resources are here for your needs and to help you succeed.  

You are not stupid. You are not dumb. You are smart and capable of achieving all the goals you set for yourself. It is okay to feel uncertain, and to feel completely confused by all the changes in your life. I went through it. It takes time for you to figure it out. But trust that you will figure things out. And as you embark on your winter semester, pat yourself on the back for getting through this rigorous fall semester.