By Shauna Mazenes
So, you get back to Ryerson for your first day of class and— BOOM! The TTC was a disaster, the wifi has completely crashed, you can’t figure out where your class is and you have no friends to text for help! You finally find the classroom you’re supposed to be in— only to be greeted by Ryerson’s annual schedule mix-up— landing yourself in a room that’s over 40 degrees and jam-packed with 120 students in only 30 seats.
Back to school, am I right?
Alas, it’s no secret that school (university in particular) can be an absolute mess. Getting yourself ready for the new semester is almost always a hectic process. Lucky for you, I’ve compiled a quick list of key things to take into consideration before the hard times roll around that will help you manage your stress to a great degree.
Get organized
Getting organized before school starts, or even during the first week, is key. This includes reading the syllabus before your first class, figuring out the course textbooks, buying them in advance and taking note of important dates, like when assignments are due. Check online to see any updates or details regarding your first class and remember to check every day! Things are always subject to change in this temporary world. Be aware though that your teachers aren’t always organized! If you don’t see or hear any updates online and it’s the night before your class, it’s safe to assume that it’s due to your professor’s own disorganization, not yours.
Buying a calendar and penciling in assignments is another great way to stay on top of things. I love to highlight and colour code my calendar depending on how important my tasks are. What’s even better is the calendar installed on your phone or laptop, which allows you to set alarms to notify yourself prior to an important deadline. If you’re anything like me and need constant reminders, this is a life-saver.
Set goals
The deeper you get into your university career, the harder it gets. Everyone knows that. That’s why an important part of keeping yourself grounded is making a deliberate effort to improve in the areas you struggled with last year. This can be both a small or a big improvement; it might mean getting to all of your classes on time, or ensuring hell-or-high-water that you pass your courses with flying colours— whatever feels true to your own capabilities. It can even be something like getting up earlier and eating breakfast every day.
Mind you, when you’re doing well, it’s easy to get lazy and develop the mentality that they don’t need to do better. Avoid this mindset! A general guideline in leading a positive life is to aim for a path in which you are constantly improving— don’t ever get comfortable. And don’t ever settle for less than what you’re capable of. Constantly strive to do better and one day, you will.
Create positive relationships
Going to a commuter school like Ryerson can be tough, especially when it comes to making friends. No matter how shy or introverted you may feel, it’s vital that you make connections with the people you need so that you have support when things get hard. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go out there and make all the friends you can find— even having just one person is totally okay. Try not to isolate yourself and be open to starting conversations with unfamiliar faces here and there in your new classes. You’d be surprised what things can arise from simply introducing yourself to someone you don’t know.
Focus on your professional brand
Every good business knows that brand recognition is important to a company’s success. The same goes for you as an individual developing your professional presence. The more reputable your professional presence is, the more valuable you are to employers in your industry. If you start working on this now, it can land you some amazing opportunities in the future that you didn’t even know you were capable of achieving.
Something you can start doing now is working to improve your resume. Try to get more volunteer experience or co-op opportunities that will sparkle on your resume and cover letter. Being at a school like Ryerson, there are tons of opportunities you can take advantage of to help build your professional experience. You can try getting a part-time job on campus with your program, you can look into the DMZ or explore Ryerson Futures. It’s important to remember that people who go to school don’t just walk out successful or have a guaranteed job– most of the success is accounted to the extensive lengths people will go to in order to be successful in a competitive industry, and that never comes easily. Usually, decent grades and a degree are simply not enough to stand out to employers; really try to go above and beyond.
Take Risks. You’ll be Surprised.
You are so valuable. You are so incredibly talented, but most of the time, students don’t see it that way, or they lack the confidence they need to meet their full potential. Be confident in your abilities and watch out for opportunities! If you see a job posting come around that looks super cool and would be a great learning opportunity for you, tweak your resume and apply. Do the research you need to do in order to impress whoever sees your resume or whoever interviews you. Apply for all kinds things and never stop— one day you might be surprised where you find yourself from simply trying. Never forget to have trust in yourself.
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help.
Your health and safety come first. Always remember that.
“Students can always come to me,” Beverly Petrovic, the Student Affairs Coordinator of Ryerson’s School of Journalism, once said in an interview. Bev recommends that students utilize the school’s counselling services or medical centre if they feel lost and are in need of guidance or help of any sort.
As someone who has worked with Bev firsthand, I can vouch that she is a great resource to go to, but only if you’re a journalism student at Ryerson. Each department has a different Student Affairs Coordinator. You can find the list of each coordinator for each designated program here.
Bev also asserted that students with any type of disability should connect with Ryerson’s Academic Accommodation Support services (AAS) as soon as possible— this is crucial for students with anxiety in particular. If you feel your anxiety holds you back from performing as well as you should be, don’t be afraid to reach out.
If you live in residence, you can speak with your Residence Advisor or floor person. If you need help during off hours, Bev suggests calling Good2Talk.
Then Bev left me with something I feel every student should seriously think about: “The student has to remember to take care of themselves first.” Please, please do.