What the Martlet staff wishes we knew earlier
Photo by Sandy Levy.
Here at the Martlet, a number of our staff members have either recently graduated or will soon be donning their caps and gowns. With graduation season behind us and the next school year just around the corner, we have a few pieces of advice to impart. Whether next month will be the start of your time at university or you’re preparing for your last back-to-school season, we hope these words of wisdom and encouragement will help you along the way.
- Don’t be afraid to go to office hours, whether it’s to get help on a complex problem or seek advice from profs for a future in a field that they are already established in. Office hours are valuable and designed for you to take advantage of!
- A challenging course that aligns with your interests can often be more manageable than an easy course that fails to capture your attention.
- Introduce yourself to your professors and don’t be afraid to reach out to them when you need help. Maintaining good relationships with your profs will help you a lot when you need references or letters of recommendation after graduation.
- You have more options than you think! Make the university experience work for YOU, not the other way around. Get involved. Ask questions. Read the bulletins. Write an article for the Martlet. You only get one shot, make it count!
- Don’t be afraid to change your mind! Lots of people change their degree halfway through or decide they need a break from university.
- Take advantage of the resources available to you. There are so many student supports that exist to help you, like the Centre for Accessible Learning, the Office of Student Life, and the Centre for Academic Communication (formerly known as the Writing Centre). Use them!
- University isn’t just about the classes! If your main goal is to make connections, spend time introducing yourself to your peers, professors, and guest-lecturers. If you want to graduate with job experience, do a co-op or apply for work-study, even if it means taking extra time to finish your degree.
