Updated: Jan 14, 2020
Beginning a new school year can always be intimidating and frankly a little scary. For students entering post secondary for the first time, there can be a lot of pressure surrounding grades, meeting people and becoming involved. We’ve spoken to upper year Mohawk College students and asked them what advice they would give to students entering their first year. The results are as follows:
The single most repeated advice students gave were to keep up with your studies. Second year nursing student Alexandria Nunes noted “Stay focused, work hard and keep on top of your studies because it’ll catch up to you quickly if you fall behind. First semester can be overwhelming, but each semester gets easier once you get into the swing of things so hang in there.”
In addition, Jasmine Chen a second year nursing student also added “utilize reading week to study as well as relax and know what resources and support systems are offered to you on campus.”
In addition to study advice, upper year students also spoke highly of seizing opportunities and networking with your instructors and peers. Sarah Bullard, a third year graphic design student stated “explore everything and take every opportunity that comes to you. Also get to know your instructors and people in your class, because you can learn a lot from other people.”
Dan Ventresca, also a third year graphic design student made a very important statement. “Take away as much as you can. There are a lot of little things that are important, such as being versatile. Excelling in different areas of your program will allow you to branch out in that field.”
In conclusion, if you are a first year student, just know that college is not as scary as you may think. There are opportunities to learn both inside and outside of the classroom. You can learn a lot from the people you choose to surround yourself with. Also, remember to keep up with your studies! If you are making the transition from high school to college, you may want to read our related blog post about how to keep yourself organized. Organization is a key ingredient to your success at Mohawk College. In terms of resources, I encourage students to ask questions. If you’re look for financial aid, health plans, bus passes ect. just ask. Chances are, we offer a service for it!
By Olivia Santucci
Student Digital Content Writer
