Not going to lie, my first day of attending post-secondary was scary. I felt like I was an alien in a completely different universe. I was completely lost on what to do!
But that is okay. It is a lot less daunting than it really seems, especially if your first day is going to be online (hopefully everything is okay to be in person though!).
Nonetheless, I have compiled a list of everything you need to know for your first day of school!
- Canvas is Your Best Friend
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Canvas is an online learning platform that some universities and colleges use to administer teaching and learning. What does this mean? This means that Canvas is going to have all the information you will ever need for any of your classes. Canvas is where you can access anything from weekly readings to the syllabus to lecture slides. It really is going to be your best friend throughout your academic career at SFU.
- Check Your Email
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Often, professors will send the class an introductory email and provide basic introductory information about the first class which can for sure calm down your nerves. I honestly did not know that I had an SFU email for at least a good week, so I definitely suggest getting acquainted with the email, especially if you ever have to email a prof. Additionally, you’re going to get a lot of mail from so many different departments at SFU, which can be overwhelming! But, there is a lot of important information that is sent out. Make sure to gloss over anything that seems interesting to you!
- Syllabus Week
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So, the first week of classes is just professors going over the syllabus. Now what is a syllabus? (don’t worry, I didn’t really know what it meant either). This is just a fancy way to say course outline, it has all the assignment descriptions, due dates, readings, and among many more! First week is nothing to stress about, but to warn you, some profs love to do introductions, so I suggest you prepare a fun fact about yourself.
- Map Out Your Day
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The best thing I did before my first day of class was map out where all my classrooms were located. If it is possible, go to SFU and find all your classrooms or lecture halls. SFU is big and there are always too many people there which makes it so easy to get lost. Plus, who wants to be late on their first day?
- Keep Due Dates on Alert
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Although it’s your first day, due dates are to be taken very seriously and I highly suggest writing them down somewhere easily accessible. In addition to due dates, a great way to keep track of all your assignments and readings is to have a planner. Check out this article for some great tips on how to use a planner effectively.
Well, with all this new found information, you are now prepared for starting this new adventure in your life. I hope your first week is a great time and you settle into university life quickly. All the best!