They say the first year is the most challenging year of university. Is that because it is a significant change from high school, or because the workload is like a full time job? You may be living alone for the first time and may be changing cities, provinces, or countries. You might have to make new friends all over again. There are many reasons why the first year can be stressful for students. However, you’re not alone. Over 8,000 students are going through their first year with you, and there are many supports and strategies to help you during your first year at UW. Fourth-year students, including myself, and UW staff would like to point you in the right direction regarding these first-year difficulties.

Like all stages of life, there are several common problems that many university students experience that negatively affect their mental health. The primary stressor in many students’ lives is schoolwork. We dread tests, assignments, quizzes, readings, practice questions, and exams at one point or another — especially if they’re during an 8:30 a.m. class.

Since humans thrive on routine, I recommend making a study schedule. You can allot time for school, fun, and relaxing breaks to maintain a good balance. Something I wish I had done earlier, which is now a staple for each semester, is making a termly Excel schedule of my assignments and due dates. Sorted by date, the assignments are colour-coded by course so I can easily see the highest priority. Another tip is to put upcoming due dates in a weekly list or your calendar to remind yourself.

“Think of a term schedule as a long-term view of the term from start to finish with all the important dates from each of your classes. A weekly schedule is more detailed and focuses on immediate activities that need to happen between important dates,” said Mary Anne Gonzales, an academic development and retention specialist at the Student Success Office (SSO), in a schedule strategy post. “The two schedules should complement each other and should allow you to look ahead, whether that is by week or by month.”

Next, figuring out which study methods work best for you is very important. Whether you are used to studying alone, early in the morning, with other people, or with music and do not seem to be able to study to your fullest potential, try different methods and areas on campus to see which gets you “in the zone.” Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association’s (WUSA) recent report on academic success reported that the following tools were most helpful in achieving academic success for students:

Attending class regularly (76%)
Completing practice question sets (64%)
Studying alone (64%)
Taking notes in class (50%)

If you feel the stress of due dates piling up or you want help figuring out a study plan to prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed, I suggest you check out the following resources that were rated as the most helpful by students in the WUSA survey: academic advisors, professor and TA office hours, SSO, and the Writing and Communication Centre. Remember, these people are here to help — it’s literally their job!

Another essential thing to remember is to adjust your expectations from high school. As reported in the WUSA academic success survey: “First-years are the least satisfied with their academic success, and fourth-years are the most satisfied with their academic success. This is an intuitive finding, as it is expected for first-year students to have a difficult transition to the academic expectations in university.”

So, if you feel less satisfied with your academic performance, that’s okay! It’s normal and will improve as you adjust to these changes. It’s also important to give yourself grace and compassion. It’s okay to fail a class, most people do it at least once in their university career. It’s okay to switch majors, programs, or faculties. Most of my friends and I have done it and are much happier. Remember to focus on learning! If you feel like you’ll be late handing in an assignment, don’t worry. Contact your professor beforehand (further in advance is better), and ask if an extension is possible.

While your focus may be on your studies, living alone is also a big change from high school. This independence can bring on a joyful feeling of control, self-expression, and freedom. However, this is also where homesickness and isolation can creep in. These feelings are normal, but sometimes they can be overwhelming. Luckily, meeting new people can pull you out of these feelings. “If I feel homesick I’ll usually try to make myself more busy or maybe spend time with people who I care about here,” said Olivia Rolston, a third-year honours science UW student. “It’s also nice to talk about it too with people who understand.”

You can meet people in your residence, classes, clubs, WUSA welcome week events, sports teams and intramurals, faculty events, and of course, UW orientation. These events are filled with new people who are just as eager to make new friends as you are. One of my core first-year memories was the WUSA carnival. It was bustling with people, rides, games, prizes, and snacks. It was there that I bonded more with my residence floor mates.

Most importantly, make sure to have fun! This may seem obvious, but making time to have fun is important. Whether it’s joining an intramural sport, club, spending time with friends, or enjoying a hobby by yourself, having fun is very important not only to give your mind a rest, but to make you happy. When you finish your university career, you won’t remember that assignment you didn’t hand in, you’ll remember the friends you made, the experiences you had, and the things you learned.

University is an exhilarating time, but if your mental health is deteriorating and you feel you can’t manage it alone, I strongly encourage you to contact UW counselling services to book a therapy appointment or get peer support through MATES, the WUSA student-run service, as Rolston does. “When I’m stressed I’ll probably book a therapy session if it’s really bad,” Rolston said. “If it’s more manageable I tend to do more physical activity or I’ll journal or try to revisit my more creative interests like visual arts or music.”

As someone who has recently finished their undergraduate journey, let me leave you with some advice. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Do what is best for you, even if that means changing paths. Get connected with campus life through clubs, volunteering, or co-op because there will be more like-minded people there than you think. There will be highs and lows, but remember, you are not alone. University is a place of independence, self-expression, and growth. So, take advantage of this time. I’ve made some friends for life at university, and I hope you will, too.

Good luck, Warriors.