Welcome to York. It’s the first week of school and some of you must be freaking out. Do not worry, this week is going to be the most memorable one down the road. I have done all my shopping for school, mapped my classes and am still getting over frosh week. But there is still one thing that I need for my first week: energy! Why? Because there is still a lot to do!
The first few weeks of school usually offers so many opportunities to ask for help and support or to meet new friends/classmates – which really makes a difference. After my first day back I have: found a partner to study with, asked for help with some confusing course material, grabbed a coffee during the break, and most importantly, found someone I know in my class!
I never miss a class in the first few weeks. I try to get to know my professors and if I don’t like that class, I change it right away. Just like Cynthia said in her last blog, I have never regretted changing classes.
I also tend to make a list of things I need to do every school year, or things that I didn’t do last year. Time management is at the top of my “goals” list this year. I work part-time and study at the same time. It is sometimes hard to finish school work by their due dates because I get caught up with all sorts of other things. But that’s what the university experience is all about. I need to set goals, get focused and get done with it. School work is always a priority.
Most importantly I make sure I am getting enough sleep and I am eating well. It simply allows me to seize opportunities and do everything on time.
The difference between what I knew about York’s libraries and what I know, four years later, is enormous.
I would recommend students to become familiar with the services that the library provides, such as checking out the reserve items that are made available to them. I would also tell them to be unafraid about visiting and studying at other libraries, as Scott is usually the most crowded library.
Hi Sobia
What an amazing week you are having. It is interesting that the little things can make such a big difference, like knowing one person in a new class.
York is a big campus. A lot of students learn to make one of the libraries “their place” on campus. There are four to choose from. When you check out Scott Library go to the fifth floor and look out over the campus. It is a large library with over a million books. Frost and Bronfman both have fireplaces. Steacie has a science and engineering side to it and offers a variety of interesting items on reserve for students to try out.
We are glad you are back Sobia … and all the other students too. It is too quiet without you.
Cynthia
Hi everyone.
I completely agree that finding someone to talk to in a class is important. I always ask people for their facebook or phone number so we can keep in touch.
Managing school with work can be challenging, and I encourage students to take a lighter class load so they can gain from both work and school experience
I believe I accomplished the impossible this first week. Spent under $150 on textbooks for the term.
A lot of what I have to read is public domain so I just found free digital versions in the translation/edition I needed and put them on my Kobo or my laptop. In one of my courses I had already read one of the shorter books during the summer and I took notes while I read it. The rest were the usual wallet-missles textbooks tend to be.
I feel like I’m gloating but seriously, it IS possible fellow students.
Full disclosure: I didn’t have as many textbooks as I needed to buy. I am taking 24 credits, not the full 30.
I would advocate taking a lighter course load a la Reesha. It feels a lot easier to learn for the sake of learning. When you have so much you need to juggle whatever you need to do becomes a task. Not a reading or an interesting assignment like work at this level should be.
I would like to add on to your comment about finding textbooks. The Toronto Public Library branches also are a good place to find readings/textbooks. As another alternative, I have used Interlibrary Loans to get texts too.