The fall semester of the 2023-2024 school year is upon us and Carleton is welcoming thousands of new students to its campus. If you are one of these newcomers, don’t worry! This article has you covered with academic advice from current second-year students from different disciplines.
Psychology
Ella Grad is a second-year psychology student. Ella’s advice for incoming psychology students at Carleton is to keep up with the assigned textbook readings and to take notes as you go. Ella encourages incoming students to take extra time to study a variety of topics within psychology, because “psych is an incredibly interesting subject with a multitude of equally interesting specialties.”
Communications and Media Studies
Rowan Egsgard is a second-year communications and media studies student. The piece of advice she wishes she had going into her first year was knowing how to filter readings. “Skim what is important, and focus on big introductory and concluding ideas,” Rowan said. Understanding the base ideas will go a long way in ensuring you are well-prepared for tests and exams!
History
Brett Bertelsen is a second-year history major at Carleton University. Brett’s best advice for incoming history students is to learn how to effectively study and take notes. “Make sure you know how to manage your time and allow yourself time to really get into whatever you’re researching,” Brett wrote. In history, you will have to read and write a lot. Brett encourages incoming history students to use the resources available through the MacOdrum Library. “Library sources are super reliable and fact-checked by scholars,” Brett said. This is very important for making sure your research is dependable and factual.
Public Affairs and Policy Management (PAPM)
Daniela Valenzuela Neto is a second-year PAPM student. Daniela’s advice for incoming PAPM students is to be yourself, get involved, and not be afraid to ask questions. “First year is accompanied by many new beginnings, although that can be scary it is also very exciting,” Daniela wrote. “Most courses in PAPM will provide an online textbook, so I’d wait until after syllabus week to figure out what you need and what you don’t.” She also encourages students to explore Ottawa and not be afraid to venture off campus.
Law
Naomi Ragan is a second-year law major at Carleton. Her best advice for incoming law students is to get involved in clubs and societies, and be prepared to do lots of reading and writing. “There are multiple law societies you can join which are always a great way to meet people in your program,” Naomi shared. She also encourages incoming students to get involved with mooting, because it’s “a great way to learn about advocacy and how to read through a case.”
Economics
Beatrice Zelenski is a second-year economics student at Carleton. Her advice for incoming economics students is to get to know your teaching assistants, review ECON 1001 and 1002 homework as exam prep, and review lecture slides before the actual lecture. Posing your questions to TAs is super important, as they will “know the content inside and out so they’ll give you the best advice for assignments, questions, and exams,” she said. Beatrice recommends “making a study group to review terms and ideas before tests and exams to see if you understand concepts correctly.”
Architecture
Hana Abdelwahab is a second-year architecture student. Hana’s best advice is to learn time management skills, understand that art and design are subjective and comparative, and try experimenting with ways to push outside the box. “Even though profs will give you limitations and rules for your projects, there are always ways to stay within the guidelines yet also step out of them,” she wrote. “Negative feedback doesn’t mean a bad project. So if you do not receive the praise you expected, it doesn’t mean you are not good at what you do,” she added. “It all gets easier with practice and time.”
Computer Science
Jessica Hill is a second-year computer science student. Her advice for incoming first years is to attend computer science-related events with the Carleton Computer Science Society and to ask questions about programming. “Doing some [practice] on your own can help with getting used to problem solving” she wrote. Jessica assures that “there are a ton of CS students” and that asking for help is an important part of confirming your learning.
Engineering
Ufedo-Ojo Amale is a second-year software engineering student. Her advice for incoming engineering students is to find a work-life balance, be ahead of your work, and to know your “why.” “In a STEM major, it can be hard to find a balance between school and life,” she said. It’s helpful to find outlets like working out or being with friends when trying to establish balance. She added that teamwork and project management skills are critical in engineering. “You need to learn which tasks can run simultaneously and what tasks require more or less attention,” she said. “When things get tough, it’s important to remind yourself about your “why”. Knowing why you’re in engineering can help you on hard days and keep you motivated,” Ufedo shared.
Biochemistry
Sophia Macedo is a second-year biochem student. Sophia’s best advice for incoming women in biochemistry is to not be afraid to speak with others, make friends, and ask questions. “STEM can seem super daunting, especially as a woman; I was so scared to go into my first year, but I’m so happy to say we have such a supportive community of science students here at Carleton” Sophia shared. She encourages students to take advantage of the community and to never forget that “you got this girl!”