The First [Mis]steps to Surviving University: How to Make the Most of UTSC

Time management, getting involved, dealing with independence, and more tips for making your first year enjoyable.

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My mother used to tell me that more than education, university is a time of discovery, experiences, and connections. Of course, you should prioritize your studies and future career goals, but do not forget to get involved in the community, make friends, do fun activities, take time for yourself, or explore the city. In the end, what you take from university will be your degree and a collection of memories from the time you spent here, so make it count. 

Leaving an environment where everything is given to you, and entering one where you have to be responsible for yourself is both exciting and challenging. In high school, they give you a schedule, teachers are on top of you to pay attention and get your assignments done, and your parents might ensure you attend and get good grades. In university, at least in my experience so far, it’s all on you. If you don’t show up to lectures, participate, or do your assignments, nobody will be on top of you except for your results.

This sudden independence can be dangerous if you don’t know how to manage it. As a student who, at first, struggled through it, here are some tips and recommendations that worked for me and could work for someone else too. 

The first thing I quickly learned here is that what works for others won’t necessarily work for me. Before my classes began in my first year, I was obsessed with study webinars and student vlogs. I was so scared of failing that I wanted to take all the tips for studying that I possibly could and put all of them into practice, from time management to how to take notes. Some of them were actually very useful, while others I would rather not have seen.

Although one of my most academically successful friends and a nice student vlogger used Google Calendar to organize every hour of their day, that method never quite worked for me. I unsuccessfully tried this for months in my first semester, and got constantly frustrated when it made me forget assignments, get stressed, and have no spare time for myself. That was until I finally realized that everyone works at a different pace and manner. I, for instance, work much better with to-do lists than calendars, since having my time divided like that causes me anxiety. 

Speaking of, manage your time well and in a way that works for you. What you often hear is to plan for assignments weeks ahead of time. But everyone knows that in practice, this does not happen. You will most likely be working on other assignments and homework, and the professor will often not introduce the assignment with so much advance. Rather than setting this unrealistic goal, just create a reminder about your assignment a week or so in advance, so you don’t forget it, and then attempt to get it done a few days before the deadline to avoid rushing through it at the last minute.

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It is also helpful to avoid taking on too many responsibilities that you can’t manage. Taking a full course load, participating in five clubs, and having a part-time job is not manageable, especially in your first year when you are still adapting to this new reality. Although you might be excited to get involved, think about everything you put your time into before taking on new activities. Better than doing a million things poorly, is doing one well. 

At the beginning of this semester, I saw myself passing on some great opportunities, such as a job on campus or an internship that I believe would have been a great addition to my experiences. Although it did feel a bit like a step back, I now see it as a sign of growth. First-year me would have taken on all of those opportunities and would now be struggling even more to keep up with everything. Sometimes taking a breath and stepping back is the best thing to do.

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On the other hand, to make your time in university more enjoyable, it is important to get involved. UTSC has several clubs and departments you can participate in, and Toronto is a city full of opportunities, with many activities, internships, volunteering, mentorship, and more. Having an activity other than school can be an excellent addition to your resume as well as provide you with a distraction from your studies and time to discover new opportunities and activities. 

In my experience, I also found it very valuable to be involved in activities that are related to my major. These have taught me a great deal about the career I want to pursue, maybe even more than what I’ve learned in a classroom.

As someone with a humanities major, there is a lot of reading. I used to think I needed to do all of the readings, word by word, for every class. This is not only extremely time-consuming but unrealistic, especially if you take many classes that involve heavy course readings. What you can do to be prepared for your lectures and classes but also save some time is scram through the readings and figure out what is or is not relevant. For instance, for most of my courses that did not involve research methods or were not science-based, the materials and methods sections of a study were not important to my understanding of the content, so I knew I could skip that part. Another good strategy is to read the introduction and conclusion first, and then check if you need to read other sections.

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Another highly mentioned strategy is to participate in classes, ask questions and show up to office hours. Being involved with the class and the professor doesn’t only help you solve your doubts, it also shows them your commitment to the class, and in case you need a mentor or a recommendation someday, it might also come in handy. 

Something that I struggled with, especially in my first year, was doing something other than school. First-year was overwhelming because it was a period of adaptation and distance, and I made it more overwhelming by doing only that and not having any spare time to relax or do another activity. 

I would also like to emphasize that university is not only about grades. Making some time for yourself and focusing on something other than school can make your time in university more valuable and inspire you to take this for your life and be able to separate life from work in the future.