What to do once you get there

Here are some tips and topics to help you stay healthy, successful and sane once you get to university.

How will I find my way around campus?

When you first arrive at university, maps and information pamphlets will be available either in paper from student services, or online. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in Orientation Week, or Frosh Week, which is a three-day to week-long session the week before school starts that’s full of planned group activities meant to help you bond with your fellow first-years. But if you begin orientation week and find it’s not for you, don’t worry — many schools also have interest groups on campus that offer alternative frosh weeks with more laid back and flexible activities. If that’s not your kind of orientation either, don’t feel obliged to participate. You’ll find your groove, it will just take some time.



FINANCIAL

Cashing in your RESP

Once you’re enrolled in university, the person who set up your RESP can start the process of getting your money for you. Different plans can work different ways, for instance you may have the option of getting a chunk of money all at once, or you may get what’s in the plan in instalments. Need tips on how best to get your money? Click here. Remember, you are taxed on what you get from an RESP (but usually at very low rates because as a student, your income will be low).

Tips for saving money

  • Buy used. Whether you go to the local thrift store for clothes and household items, or buy online at sites such as Craigslist, eBay, Kijiji or the Marketplace area of Facebook. (If you buy online, follow safety practices, like checking out the vendor’s rating, or not meeting someone alone or at night.)
  • Shop around for your textbooks. Many universities have used textbook outlets, especially at the beginning of the year, but go early to get the best selection. And be careful that you don’t get an edition that’s out of date for the class you’re taking. You can sometimes find better deals with online merchants like chapters.indigo.ca and amazon.ca, even with the shipping. People also post used textbooks in the Marketplace section of Facebook. But before you stock up on textbooks, make sure you got in to the classes you want, and you’re sure you’re not going to drop the course (though if you drop the course early enough, you can resell your textbooks, usually at a lower price). You can also try to buy and sell used textbooks, for instance here.
  • Have potlucks instead of eating out.
  • Go to free on-campus events like movie nights.
  • Carpool for long trips home.
  • Every time you take out your wallet, ask if there’s a student discount.
  • Save on long-distance calls with Skype (free) or long-distance phone cards or plans.
  • Save on computers by buying reconditioned or surplus at a computer store or surplus outlet, or asking your university whether they are selling off old units. If you need software, consider open source like Ubuntu Linux, OpenOffice or Firefox.
  • Buy groceries at a discount store, or buy bulk and split it with friends. Plan ahead and use a shopping list; don’t shop hungry and buy as few prepared foods as possible because pre-sliced cheese, for instance, is always more expensive than a chunk you slice yourself.



ACADEMIC

When you get to university, you will be learning in several different formats:

Lectures: Normally large group classes of an hour or more taught by one or more professors, usually in lecture halls. Often, materials in lectures are included in exams. This is the time to listen and take notes.

Tutorials: Small group sessions, often taught by a graduate student teaching assistant, where you get a chance to discuss themes and issues from the readings and lectures. It’s important to speak up, partly to clear up your questions and focus your thoughts for your assignments, but also because you are usually marked for your participation.

Labs and assignments: The rest of your time will be spent doing guided experiments in labs, or research for projects or essays, or group assignments, or studying. Universities have academic help centres available in most academic areas (like essay writing) or tutors available for most subjects. For advice on assignments, click on Essay research, Lab reports, Group work, or Studying.

Office hours: Your professor or teaching assistant will be available during set times to answer your questions or review your assignments with you. Take advantage of this, especially to keep on track with your assignments. It’s much easier to break them down into bits and get your teacher’s feedback, than to try and do it all without feedback and find out you were on the wrong track all along. Don’t be intimidated to speak with your teachers: They are happy to see you take an interest in your studies, even if you feel like you’re floundering. There really are no stupid questions, just poor marks if you don’t understand what you’re doing. And if you get very excited about a topic and want to talk about additional reading or lab work, you can bet your teacher will be thrilled to help you.

Are grades important? It depends. If you want to get into grad school, for instance, it’s never too early to start thinking about your grades. Although law schools, teachers’ colleges and some masters programs can give you a bit of a break on your first-year grades, you don’t want to get into a partying habit you can’t kick and have it ruin your dreams of being a doctor, lawyer, or whatever your career of choice may be.

Grades can also translate into money from scholarships or research grants.

On the other hand, if you concentrate more on what inspires you, whether it’s starting a business or creating memorable art, you may not require more than the grades needed to get your degree. But beware of flunking out, because that could affect everything from having to repay your loans early to possibly not being able to get a decent job without an undergrad degree.

It’s also worth talking with employers in your chosen field about whether grades matter to them or not.

What do profs really want from an essay? You may already have practice with this concept from high-school essays, but the main feature of a university essay is that it is an argument, not just a collection of facts or observations. It should answer a question and try to prove something (the “thesis”) by reasoning and evidence.

It often includes sources you’re using to prove your thesis (which is where your research comes in). Be careful about your sources, especially if you’re using online material (for instance Wikipedia) that’s not necessarily considered a legitimate source.

Also be careful about plagiarism. Often, students won’t know they’re plagiarizing when they don’t adequately cite their sources.

Here's some helpful information about what’s expected from an essay.

Are deadlines important? Yes. Most professors and teaching assistants follow departmental policy about the consequences of missing deadlines for assignments, which usually means docking you marks for every day you’re late. If you think you’re falling behind on an assignment, it’s very important to contact your prof or TA as soon as possible to work out a plan and possibly help you avoid losing (too many) marks.

Exams: Even if you know your course material inside and out, you may not be familiar with the form your course exams will take, or you may be so nervous, you lose marks because of that. Most departments offer past exams, often online, for you to practice on, and it’s worth your time to do at least one practice exam.

Studying for exams is a year-long process, not just for the night before. Here's a helpful link on preparing for exams.

Types of exams, especially in first-year classes, are multiple choice or short-answer and essay questions. Sometimes they can be open-book exams or take-home exams.



SOCIAL

How will I make friends?

You step onto the campus grounds, or into your first lecture, or out of your dorm room, and you’re confronted by crowds of people you don’t know. It can be intimidating, to say the least.

The good news is, university is an opportunity to start new friendships, often based on similar interests and a shared new experience. But it’s partly up to you to reach out to others, whether you live on-campus or off.

This can be hard to do, especially if you’re shy. But one thing to remember is that most people are probably just as nervous as you are and are just putting on a good front. (If you’re so nervous about meeting new people that you just can’t, you may have more than just shyness.)

Orientation week, or the first week of school, can be a great opportunity to break the ice during scheduled events and informally before you really have to start hitting the books.

Another way of meeting others with similar interests is getting involved in the many campus activities and extracurricular groups. If you’re a comic book lover, see if your school has a comic book association. If religion plays a major role in your life, get involved with your on-campus religious group. If you’re interested in student journalism, check out your campus newspaper. The opportunities are endless, and as long as you’re careful not to overload yourself, making time to do something you enjoy and meeting new people will help you stay healthy and happy, and might even be a step toward your ultimate career goal.

Some student groups have online forums or Facebook groups that let you make connections with people who have similar interests, or who are in your year. Always follow online safety practices, like not giving out personal information and if you agree to meet someone you met online, do it during the day at a public place.

If you’re of legal drinking age, one obvious place to meet people is in bars, either on- or off-campus. While some students find alcohol helps them open up to others, other students say they’ve gone overboard and found themselves doing more than just throwing up: passing out, driving while drunk, being arrested or being raped while drunk. If you find yourself consistently abusing any kind of substance — whether alcohol or illegal drugs or misusing prescription drugs — get help from your university’s mental health services. Beyond addiction, it could be a sign you’re not dealing with an underlying problem, whether it’s stress, lack of self-confidence or another mental health issue.



SAFETY

Physical safety

Security in residence: To get into any residence building, you need a key. You’ll also get a separate key to your residence room. Some buildings have 24-hour porters at the front desk, others are staffed only during the day. If security is a priority for you, indicate that when marking your preferences in choosing a residence room or building at your school.

Walking home at night: Many schools realize campus safety is an issue for its students, and most universities offer a nightly walk-home service. Some have designated spots where you meet and one or two students walk you to wherever you need to go. Universities also have campus security teams that patrol campus areas at night.

Cybersafety

Viruses and other malware: Most universities have free antivirus software that you can download onto your computer. The software can protect you from spyware, worms, trojans and other malware that collects personal information without your knowledge, or takes over your computer for criminal purposes, or slows it down or damages the hard drive. And make sure you download the updates because hackers are creating new malware all the time. Other tips include:

  • Don’t open e-mail attachments from unknown senders.
  • Avoid peer-to-peer file sharing and torrent sites.
  • Change your passwords often.
  • Never reply to an e-mail asking for a PIN number or password or account information because a legitimate source, like your bank, will never ask you for that in an e-mail and you could end up giving a criminal access to something like your bank account.
  • Avoid downloading free games or other software from sites you don’t trust.
  • Be careful what you’re transferring with your memory stick or portable media player.

Internet scams: There are many that are about stealing information about you for criminal uses. These include asking for your social insurance number, to e-mails from abroad offering to share a lot of money. For information on protecting yourself, read Top Five Spam Scams or visit the RCMP website, www.phonebusters.com.

Stalking and personal safety: Never put post personal information on a social networking site or chat room, as stalkers can find out your name and schedule and where you live. Never agree to meet someone you don’t know somewhere that’s not public. Here are some tips about Etiquette and Safety and a story about determining whether you're talking to a person or a computer: Russian computer program fakes chatroom flirting.

Date rape

Though there are many ways to keep yourself safe, four of the biggest ones are:

1. NEVER get into a car with someone who has been drinking or doing drugs, or drink (or do drugs) and drive. The statistics are clear about how dangerous this is.

2. DON’T drink from a container that you haven’t either opened yourself or seen opened before it was handed straight to you. That way no one can drop a drug into your drink.

3. DON’T walk home alone through a dark campus or deserted side street.

4. DON’T have unprotected sex. Campus health centres usually have free condoms and sexual health information.

Date rape is sexual assault that most commonly happens when a date or an acquaintance or someone you’ve just met pressures, drugs, threatens or forces you into having sex, or has sex with you while you’re unconscious. Though women are most likely to be the victims of date rape, it can happen to men as well. If you wake up somewhere strange, or suspect you’ve been drugged and assaulted, call the police and get medical help right away (and, if you can, take a sample of your drink or food with you to be tested).

If out on a date:

  • Don’t let your drink out of your sight.
  • Drink in moderation.
  • Stick with your friends or meet somewhere public.
  • Trust your instincts – if your gut tells you something’s wrong, listen to it, even if it makes you look silly.
  • Have a safety plan - have extra money available in case you need a cab, know the way home
  • Meet in public places for the first few dates
  • Tell someone where you are going
  • Leave if you feel uncomfortable
  • Know the address of where you are in case you need to get out by cab
  • Pay your own way – avoid obligation/guilt to have to repay
  • Get to know your date

Useful tools: This Ontario government website gives general precautions you can take on how to prevent date rape and other sexual assault and this U.S. government website gives descriptions of what date-rape drugs look like and what symptoms to look out for.



HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Physical health

Insurance

Are you still covered under your parents’ health and dental plan? Many schools include a health and dental plan in your student fees, which you can find out about through your school’s student government. But if you already have coverage, you may be able to opt out of that plan and get some of your student fees back.

Need a doctor?

University health centres are often busy and booked up far in advance. For routine check-ups or tests, make sure to make an appointment well in advance. Student health centres also have walk-in nurses available and will refer you to a doctor if they think you need to see one, but leave enough time — wait times can take you all afternoon.

Drinking and illegal drugs

It’s easy to fall into the first-year lifestyle of excessive partying and drinking, but your grades will still be there when the party’s over. This doesn’t mean don’t have fun. But get help if you get out of control. Take a quiz and get feedback about your drinking. Get information about drugs and alcohol, how they can be dangerous, how to be responsible and how to get help if you need it.

Work out or walk it off

Each university has athletic facilities, which access to which is often included in your student fees or is available for a reduced student rate. Making time to exercise, whether it’s running by the lake, doing yoga, or pumping iron in the school gym, will make it easier to focus when you’re studying.

Ice cream for dinner every day gets boring

If you’re on campus, cafeteria food can be a treat at first, but once you’re past the first week, pizza every day for dinner can lose its appeal. Try to take advantage of salad and sandwich bars with lots of choices. Vegetarian, vegan and allergy-related diet choices are available in most cafeterias. Check with your residence don or the cafeteria staff to see what options they have.

Read The Globe and Mail's take on campus food services.

If you’re off-campus, it may be your first time cooking for yourself. Aside from investing in a good beginner recipe book, you may find the Canada Food Guide helpful in making nutritious meals.

This site has information about eating disorders.

Emotional health

Stressed?

University is a fast-paced, demanding, new environment and chances are you’ll feel stressed more often than just exam time each semester. Try to find a relaxing outlet, especially one that involves physical activity, like yoga, running, or team sports, that let you blow off steam. You can also try relaxation exercises, or activities outside of studying that you love, like playing music, debating or cooking.

More than stressed?

Mental health is a tough issue to confront, and if you’re feeling overwhelmed or unable to function but ashamed to confide in anyone, you aren’t alone. Universities have confidential counselling services, often free or included in your health plan, which you should take full advantage of if you’re feeling panicked or unusually unhappy. They can direct you to the right people to diagnose and treat what might be serious conditions, like schizophrenia (which often shows up in the first couple of years of university), anxiety disorders, depression, an eating disorder, cutting yourself, thoughts of suicide or psychosis. Counsellors can also help with handling long-distance relationships or break-ups, feelings about self-worth or answer questions about other relationships with friends and family.

Mental Health Links

Relationships

Especially if you’re away from home for the first time, you may find yourself in uncharted and exciting territory as far as dating and relationships go. Here are some helpful links:



HOUSING ISSUES

Roommates

Sharing a room with someone inevitably leads to disagreements. If you can’t work it out by addressing the issue, talk to your don or residence adviser for advice.

In dire circumstances, or if your lifestyles are too different for compromise, you can apply for a residence room change and be placed in another building on campus.

Housemates

When you first move in (or preferably before signing a lease) agree in writing about things such as:

  • Cleaning up after yourselves
  • Buying and sharing food and household items
  • The temperature you want to keep the place
  • Paying bills (including how you will decide whose long-distance calls those were)
  • Smoking
  • Guests, especially overnight ones
  • Noise levels

Assign chores to people, or agree to rotate week-to-week. Make sure there’s an understanding of the kind of house you want to have. If you want your house to be sterile, seek out housemates who are as clean-friendly as you. If you want to throw parties each weekend, a clean and quiet housemate may not be the best match. And agree on what happens if someone wants to move out: how much notice they should give and what portion of the bills they should share (e.g. a portion of the month).

Landlords

Make sure your landlord goes through your lease with you before you sign it, and you both make your expectations clear. Find out what to do if your toilet breaks, what to do if your sink gets clogged or what to do if your furnace stops working. Whose responsibility is it? What number should you call? Don’t sign anything you don’t feel comfortable with and don’t let anyone pressure you into signing a lease you’re not sure about.

If you run into major problems with your landlord such as your home falling into disrepair and not being fixed, or inappropriate behaviour like stopping by the house unannounced and coming in, contact your school’s off-campus housing office. They have people who can give you advice, or, if you need it, legal counsel on how best to confront the problem.

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