Faculty of Mathematics professors, David Harmsworth and Ryan Trelford, share their top tips for having a successful first year at Waterloo.
Go to class
This is the first tip because it is the easiest one to follow. Go to class, even if you could only take in 20% of what the instructor says, even if you only learned one thing from that lecture, it could be the one that makes everything else make sense.
Some failure is normal
Don't be discouraged if topics don't make sense to you - struggling with course concepts or assignments is normal and we want students to learn to cope with frustrations that come with being "stuck".
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
If you're really stuck (that is, you've spent time on a problem or assignment, discussed with friends, and made an honest effort) don't hesitate to meet with the instructor to discuss any difficulties as soon as possible. You can meet instructors before or after class, during office hours, or at another time that is agreeable to both you and the instructor. Remember, your instructors love the content as much as you do and are happy to discuss concepts with you. Have specific questions in mind when meeting an instructor. Don't let problems accumulate. This also applies to your health and wellbeing. If you need to access healthcare or personal counselling, please contact the University’s Campus Wellness services.
Help is available
The university has a lot of free and low-cost resources to help you succeed academically such as Tutor Connect, faculty specific resources and instructor office hours. Explore options to see what's available before you consider private tutoring.
Make a schedule
Making a schedule can help you stay organized when the term gets busy. Establish a daily routine. Include lectures, study time, exercise, and social activities into your schedule. Your schedule may change and evolve as the term goes on, but it'll give you a good starting point.
Exercise
This is important not just for your physical health, but also for your mental health. Exercise is usually the first thing that gets dropped when students get busy even though regular exercise leads to higher productivity, happiness, and better cognitive function. Luckily for you, Waterloo students have easy access to many athletic and recreational options, including individual workouts, various intramural and pickup sports, and lots of trails in the city to go for leisurely walks, runs, or bike rides.
Communicate with your family
Speak to your family often and let them know how you're doing in Waterloo. Keep them updated on all of your experiences, both good and bad. If you did well on an exam, tell your family. If you did poorly on an exam, also tell your family. Very few students can navigate four or five years of university life without the support and advice of their families.
For families, remember that your student is living far from home, experiencing a new culture and taking challenging courses in a teaching style that may be new and in a language that is likely not their first. They're dealing with many new experiences both in and out school, so during this time of transition your student needs your support and encouragement.
Sleep and eat
Build sleep into your schedule. Try to sleep at the same time each night. Eat breakfast. Even if you're rushing to get to class in the morning, take an apple or orange with you so your body has some nutrients to enable you to learn.
Don’t let problems linger
If there's a concept that you haven't understood, make a point of reviewing the material at the earliest opportunity. This will ensure that you're adressing difficult topics early on and getting a headstart on grasping them better.
Read the course outline
The course outline is considered a contract between you and the instructor that outlines the responsibilities and expectations of both parties. It'll include a schedule of topics to be covered in the course, due dates for assignments, dates of tests, and how student performance will be evaluated. There may even be information provided which is related to academic integrity expectations. For example, in some classes, students are encouraged to discuss assignment questions with each other as long as they work on it separately. In other classes, instructors want you to show creativity and complete assignments entirely by yourself without discussing with peers. If this isn't made clear in the outline, ask your instructor.
Read ahead
Try reading ahead in the textbook but don't worry about understanding everything you read. Read ahead to find out which sections you find confusing and pay close attention to those sections in lectures.
Pick good electives
University is the only time when you can learn something you're curious about. Resist the urge to take "bird courses” just to boost your GPA and instead, find something you're genuinely interested in!
Adjust your expectations
Students who get into Waterloo are typically at the top of their class in high school. You may be used to getting high 90s in all your classes. If this is the case, you may feel discouraged to receive a 75% on a test. The best way to look at a university GPA is to view it as an exchange rate. A 90% in high school is around a 70% at university. If you adopt a realistic expectation, you'll be able to build resiliency, which will help you do well at university in the long run. Once you get the hang of it, you can focus more on learning than just getting high grades.