A Few Things I Have Learned In My First Year

Most Professors Genuinely Care about Your Success

Throughout highschool, I was repeatedly reminded that in university, I would just be a number. I was told that professors did not have any interest in the students that they lectured to. I prepared myself for the transition from an interactive learning environment where I had friendly relationships with my teachers, to merely being on the receiving end of lectures. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the interest that professors took in our understanding of concepts and stress towards upcoming exams. The professors I had asked questions during lecture and held open office hours to discuss concepts. Some of my professors even held review sessions before exams and posted lecture summaries after each lecture. Overall, it showed me that professors are simply people who are motivated by their love for the subject that they teach; it transcends in their lectures.

You Are Accountable For Yourself

It’s weird to think that even though you probably did most of this stuff when you lived at home, no one is going to be there to make sure you are okay. No one is going to knock on your bedroom door and ask if you had dinner yet, or take you to the doctor when you have a burning fever. Your wellness is your responsibility and no one else’s. It can be an adjustment to be fully accountable for yourself but it can equally be rewarding because you are learning how to be independant and self-sufficient. It’s the small victories like learning how to fix your printer or going to the pharmacy to pick up antibiotics for your cold that count!

It’s Ok Not To Be Ok

There is this overarching assumption that everyone in residence is happy and well adjusted. Sometimes it can feel isolating to know that while you are feeling homesick or lonely, everyone is socializing and having a good time. The surprising thing is even though you may not see it, everyone is probably going through the same thing that you are.You don’t know what is going on in someone else’s head. It is possible for life to be equally as exhausting and overwhelming as it is exciting and fun. Change is inevitable, but it doesn’t mean that it occurs smoothly.

Being Alone

Just because you are living in a building filled with hundreds of people who are also in their first year of university doesn’t mean that you will always be surrounded by them. When you live away from home, there is a lot of alone time. Your friends may be in class when you want to grab dinner and your roommate may be home for the weekend when you have no work to do. Being alone isn’t a bad thing, it’s just an adjustment. It is makes the time you spend with your friends more rewarding and the time that you visit your family, more meaningful.

All in all, don’t expect to be happy all the time, live in the moment, and embrace the messiness of change.

• academics
• first year
• homesickness
• school
• stress