6 Pieces of Advice I'd Give to My First-Year Self

Now that I’m looking forward to my fourth and final year of Creative Industries, I’ve been reflecting on what the past few years have been like. There aren’t many things that I would change, but there are definitely some things I wish I knew when I was a first-year student.

Being a first-year student is intimidating. You’re in a new environment with new people, and chances are you’ll feel out of place at first. Just remember that you are not the only one feeling this way! Everyone else is probably just as nervous as you are and also wants to make friends. I suggest keeping this in the back of your mind throughout your first year (and beyond), and use it as motivation to start up conversations with your classmates. Chances are they’re looking for friends just like you!

The Student Learning Centre (SLC) is our most recognizable building on campus with its unique geometric appearance. It’s also the building where a lot of students spend their time studying. I went here regularly in my first year because I wasn’t sure where else to go. I always found it a little too crowded for my liking, and since then have found some other study spaces I like on campus. My personal favourite is the fifth floor of the Sally Horsfall Eaton Centre (external link, opens in new window)  (which is not in the Eaton Centre mall!). There are a lot of tables there to work at, big windows and it is usually always quiet. My fellow Student Ambassador Jeremy’s favourite spot to study is the Centre for Urban Innovation. If coffee shops are more your studying vibe, check out Carly’s blog about the best coffee shops around our campus!

When I was in first year, I was hesitant to get involved in student groups just because I didn’t want to put too much on my plate. However looking back, I really wish I had done more! In my second year I became a peer mentor in the Tri-Mentoring Program and loved the experience! I highly recommend that first-year students join the program as a mentee to get to know an upper-year student in their program. 

Coming up in my fourth year, I’ll be serving as Vice President Communications on the Creative Industries Course Union (external link, opens in new window)  and I’m really looking forward to expanding my social circle and working with peers in my program. Our university has so many opportunities to get involved, and I suggest new students take advantage of this to make friends and learn more about our community.

Our location in downtown Toronto is my favourite thing about our university. Toronto has so much to offer, and I love the city so much that I even wrote a blog about it. I’ll be honest, I was a little intimidated by the amount of stuff to see and do when I first moved to the city. Everyone was asking me if I had done this or seen that! My advice is to make a list of everything that interests you and try to do one every week. It can be anything from going to a concert, going to a museum (the Royal Ontario Museum (external link, opens in new window)  has a student discount and the Art Gallery of Ontario (external link, opens in new window)  is free for anyone under 25) or taking a walk through a Toronto neighbourhood like Kensington Market or West Queen West.

Our campus footprint is relatively small for a university, but that doesn’t mean you won’t need some guidance locating buildings! I like using Google Maps (external link, opens in new window)  to locate our buildings, as they’re all on the platform and it can help you estimate how long it will take to get between classes. You can also take a look at our campus map and find your buildings that way. A little life hack I just recently figured out is looking up floor plans of our buildings to help find your classrooms! I recently used the one for the Ted Rogers School of Management to find an exam room. Although, I wish you good luck navigating Kerr Hall—it is a rite of passage as a student of our university to get lost finding a classroom in that building!

I did not become a regular at Oakham Café (external link, opens in new window)  until the second semester of my first year. Not going to Oakham during my first semester is probably my number one regret from first year. Their food is so delicious and is priced at low, student-friendly prices. If you live in residence and have a meal plan with flex dollars, you can use those funds here! They recently renovated the café, and I can’t wait to spend even more time than I already do here. I’m a fan of their student loan special, which is a nice, hefty all-day breakfast meal for only $5.99! Oakham Café is also where I sent my fellow Student Ambassador Nishka during our recent Campus Quest (external link, opens in new window) !

If I could turn back time, I would definitely show first-year Jenna this blog post. I hope it helps to make your first-year experience an awesome one!

-Jenna