Part XI

Survival Tips for First Year at University


You will want to maintain the Lakefield goal of having a sound mind in a healthy body throughout your life. Here are a few strategies for keeping focused and balanced.

For a sound mind:
1. Keep up with your work daily! LCS students often comment that the reading load in university courses is very heavy compared with high school, and it is easy to fall behind. Do readings and assignments every day--and expect that you will do three-four hours work outside the classroom for every hour you spend in a lecture, seminar, or lab. University is a sixty-hour/week job--but there is still lots of time to have fun after the work is done!

2. Make use of the services offered by your university. Most universities have learning centres where you can receive help with essay writing, time management, study skills, mathematics, etc. The services are usually free--and they can help you keep your grades high.

3. Go to class in September....go to class in November...go to class in February...go to class in April. Nobody's taking attendance, and it will be very tempting to skip one class to finish an assignment for another, or to miss that eight a.m. class on a cold January morning. Nonetheless, attending class is the easiest way to stay committed to a course and on top of the academic workload.

4. Form study groups, get to know other students in your classes, get to know students in your residence who take the courses you do. Talk with them about readings, assignments, and tests; study with them for exams. You will learn more when you learn with others.

5. Make contact with your teaching assistants and your professors. Be sure your instructors know who you are--by asking and answering questions, emailing for clarifications, nodding in their lectures. A bond with an instructor will be important if you need an extension or extra help.

For a healthy body:

1. Keep physically active. You don't need to play a varsity sport--just make regular trips to the athletic facilities--run, cycle, swim, ski.

2. Eat well. It is easy to gain weight during first-year university -- and also easy not to. Students complain perennially about the high fat content of residence food, but selections of fresh vegetables and fruit, and healthy carbs and proteins will be offered at every meal.

3. Try to sleep well, too. It isn't easy to get eight hours of sleep a night in a university residence, but you should try to keep a regular sleeping schedule that allows you to attend early morning classes. Naps are a great way to refresh yourself if you have time between classes.

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