We asked first years to share their thoughts on being new to campus
There’s a special feeling about the first few days as a new student at UVic. With so much to digest as a newcomer to university life, it takes a couple of weeks to get into the groove of being a university student. There are classrooms to locate in maze-like buildings, new online platforms to navigate, and friends to desperately try to make. Sometimes, the adrenaline of adjusting to a new place can end up making our memories of these influential days a bit hazy.
This Labour Day, the Martlet set out to ask some first year students how they’re feeling about making this big transition. We asked each person what they’re looking forward to about going to UVic and what they’re nervous about.
Here’s what they had to say:
Katie and Maya are first year students from Vancouver.
Maya and Katie are both excited about making new friends. Maya is also looking forward to the city itself. “I’ve only gone [downtown] once, but it’s really pretty,” she says.
Katie is nervous about “going to [her] classes for the first time.”
Chelsea and Julia are first year students from Victoria and Vernon, respectively.
Julia is looking forward to “the close access to everything — like downtown. The nice restaurants, probably, too.”
Chelsea echoes Julia’s excitement about the location, but says she is nervous about “not being able to find where my class is [and] missing [a class] or being late because of that.”
Isaac and Freddie are first year students from Victoria and Campbell River, respectively.
Freddie says he’s looking forward to “meeting new people, new friends [and] getting smarter.”
“I would [also] say getting smarter. I like getting smarter,” Isaac agrees. “I think the Co-Op program [as well] — being able to find connections in what I want to be doing in my career.”
Freddie also says he’s nervous about “making friends. Getting smarter – if [he] will get smarter,” and Issac is focused on “managing course loads.”
Logan is a first year student from Calgary.
“I’m looking forward to the university lifestyle, and then just being on an island — it’s a lot different than growing up in the prairies,” he says. “And just choosing your own classes and not having to do subjects that maybe you’re less interested in, [being] more focused in on stuff that you do have a passion in pursuing. I think that’s going to be really cool.”
As for being nervous, Logan acknowledges that it’s the “first time away from home — I think it’s normal to have nerves for that. Just living on your own for the first time, navigating that. And just meeting new people. It’s excitement and nerves.”
Marley and Isaiah are first year students from Smithers and Saltspring Island, respectively.
Isaiah is excited about “the experience. Learning something new, getting out there.” He’s also looking forward to “having my own room — getting to decorate it how I want.”
Marley feels the same.“I think meeting new people is exciting. Just being out of town and living somewhere by yourself is good,” he says.
Isaiah is nervous about the workload in his classes. “I don’t know what to expect yet,” he says.
Marley agrees, saying he’s feeling some nerves about “the course load as well.”
Nobuto is a first year international student from Japan.
Nobuto isn’t sure yet about what to expect from UVic. “I’m new, I came here yesterday, so I don’t know,” he says. He is excited about living in a bigger place, though. “Here, [it’s] a city. I was living in Prince George and there was more countryside [there].”
When asked if he is nervous, he says that he is “ a little bit because [he’s] not good at English.”
Megan is a first year student from Vancouver.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new people, moving to a new city, new activities and stuff — a new experience,” she says. “I’m nervous for exams and taking notes properly in lectures.”
