My advice to future AFM students

My experience in my first year at university and tips for success

Hey prospective students! My name is

Albert, and I remember feeling scared and confused when I was applying to universities. I wanted to know how difficult the courses were, whether or not I would have free time, and how I could succeed. One of the things that helped me was hearing about current students’ experiences. If you’re feeling scared or confused yourself, hopefully reading about my experience within the AFM program will help!

In my 1A term, the AFM program focused on building a foundation in accounting and business, the content was similar to senior-level business courses in high school. Although the content was familiar, I quickly learned that I still need to put in hours to study and deepen my understanding. Even if the content you learn is ‘easy’, having a regular study plan will help you establish a routine that drastically increases your productivity.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that having a routine allows you to have free time during your studies. I speak from personal experience when I say that procrastination is the killer of fun. The faster you establish a routine, the more time you will have to spend with friends or doing hobbies, or activities. Something else you can do with your free time is to join clubs or compete in case competitions. I’ve found the best way to be successful is to seek discomfort by putting yourself out there and learning new skills while meeting new people. Almost every weekend, there’s a case competition, networking event, or a social event —so, get out there and get involved!

Know that it’s okay to feel scared or confused, chances are that everyone feels the same way. Everyone in the Waterloo and SAF community is willing to help each other and learn so don’t be scared to ask questions and reach out!