5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting University

I remember 20-year-old me showing up on the first day of classes, eager to get the university experience he dreamed of. Now, almost halfway through my undergrad, I can confidently say that things did not go according to plan, but that’s OK.

I learned not only a lot of math and stats in 2 years, but a lot about myself and life in general. Whether you’re a prospective student or just about to graduate, you should read on and see if you relate.

1. You don’t have to have it all figured out.

There’s so much pressure to figure out your major, your residence, making friends having a set plan for when you graduate. But I can confidently say that my plans went straight out the window after the first 2 weeks; I had to modify my program because I realized I really hated overly theoretical material, and my social life was drier than my sense of humour. I was really thrown at first, but I soon learned that sometimes the best plan is having no plan.

I’m not endorsing throwing caution to the wind on every occasion, but be open to other avenues, whether it be academic, social or otherwise. I’m almost finished with my second year, and I can definitely say I’m very happy with how things turned out.

2. You will have bad days.

There will be some days where you’ll be off your game. You may not be able to focus on everything in lecture, you may not be able to participate in tutorials like you usually would (because WE all participate happily and voluntarily) and no matter how much you try to study, nothing seems to stick.

Let me tell you, all of this is normal. Whenever I have a bad day, I firstly always acknowledge that I’m having a bad day and try to just accomplish the necessary things. After that, I do absolutely no work for the rest of the day (I know if you’re a UofT student, this could mean a death sentence depending on your program). But I’m telling you, taking that rest is definitely important for moving forward, which leads to my next point.

3. What works for one person may not work for you.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to anything in life, and anyone who says otherwise is lying. We are all unique human beings at the end of the day, and, while there may be some overlap, we all cope and relax in our own way.

I always hear stories from my friends who pulled all-nighters at Robarts drinking lethal amounts of Red Bull, yet I can’t study past 10:00 without spacing out. While some people take a walk or do sports to relax, I like to write blog posts while listening to random Eurovision songs.

My point is, do what makes you happy and you’ll be refreshed to go again.

4. You’ll meet a lot of people, but you’ll also feel lonely sometimes.

University is a huge place. I can confidently say I have met hundreds, maybe thousands of people over the past 2 years here, but I still feel lonely sometimes. Honestly, I don’t have the stereotypical close-knit friend group you see in college movies, the ones you see having a picnic on a sunny day on the campus grounds. I’m not a social butterfly who clicks with everyone right away, and no matter how hard I try, most don’t seem to work out or last.

Unfortunately, some people can be cliquey and downright awful, but the right people, who appreciate you for you will find you eventually. While this may sound cheesy, it was definitely true in my case; I’ve found a few friends that I am grateful for everyday and who knows who I may meet later down the line.

5. Put yourself out there but don’t lose yourself in the process.

In university, no one tells you what to do. It is up to you and you alone to decide who you want to be later down the line. You may even find yourself changing in some ways; the way you speak, the way you act, who you hang out with and more. This is completely fine and is a fundamental part of growing up, but don’t lose yourself in the process. Don’t lose your quirks, your soul, your identity just because a few other people may not understand it. Realize that you can never please everyone.

This was probably the harshest lesson I learned, because I was so desperate to fit in like everyone else. But I soon realized that I didn’t feel like myself and didn’t like the person I was becoming. So, I took a step back and re-evaluated myself and moved forward. I mentioned I’m not a social butterfly, but I try to make small talk where possible to try to get to know people. I’m still a work in progress, but better than what I was before.

So, there you have it. I’m still learning so much every day, and I hope these lessons would help you out.