SDS Buddies – Creating Meaningful Connections for First Year Students

Transitioning into the first year of a university program can be tough, whether a student is entering directly from high school, transferring from another institution, or after spending time away from school after being in the workforce. The Social Development Studies (SDS) Buddies program, launched in September 2019, aims to help with this transition, providing peer support by pairing incoming SDS students with an upper year SDS student. SDS buddies provide additional support to new students, as a go-to person for questions or guidance. For upper-year students, it is a great way to engage with new students, connect with other volunteers, and boost their resume. Upper year students are also supported by SDS staff members with regular check-ins and a dedicated website with additional resources, scenarios that might come up, tips/tricks, etc.

SDS Buddies are matched along as many characteristics as possible, with a specific focus on method of entry (direct from high school, transfer, etc.). In its first year, the program included interviews of each upper-year buddy before matching. The ongoing pandemic made individual interviews impossible, so a form was created to collect information to help link students with similar methods of entry or personal experiences. The ratio of buddies depends on the number of upper year volunteers, with upper year buddies getting as few as one first year buddies, or as many as four.

The frequency of communication between buddies is left up to the students, but they are asked to connect with buddies a minimum of once per month. Buddies are also invited to events once per month, another way to create connections among their peers. Throughout the pandemic, events and touchpoints have shifted online, but as some campus events start to become available on campus, in-person events are starting to become possible again.

Miriam (pictured right), an upper-year buddy, has participated as an upper-year buddy since the program began and has been a buddy 3 times so far. She thought it was a great idea and said her first thought after hearing about the program was “I wish I had someone like this to ask questions of when I was in first year!” Miriam has found the experience to be very meaningful because of the opportunity to connect and form relationships with different types of people, and she sees it as a learning experience that has been just as transformative for her as her first-year buddy. Miriam says that she often helps her buddy with everyday things like advice on time management, adjusting to the university workload, help with course selection, and direction on how to get involved. The most important thing? Making the connection, so her buddy knows that they are not alone, they have a friend who is there to support them!

Meghan (left) joined SDS buddies as an upper-year buddy to make a difference for students who were in the same position as she was, only a year before. She has experienced feelings of anxiety and loneliness, and knows how much of an impact having someone there for you can have. Meghan makes a point to send frequent check-in messages to her buddy, and support them as they navigate some of the important first-year tasks like getting a WAT card (Waterloo’s student ID), finding a library or good place to study, and meeting their fellow students or professors. She has also made a point to lend a helping had to all first-year students who were not her buddy, and has made even more new friends along the way! Meghan says that her buddies have made as much of a difference in her life as she hopes she has made in theirs. She’s grateful to be part of such an important time in a student’s life, and thinks all upper-year SDS students should try being an SDS Buddy.

This story was published in this year's Renison Reports. 

If you are an upper-year SDS student and are interested in becoming a buddy, please visit the SDS Buddy Program Sign Up Form.