Frosh Week, the first day of school, and the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year are just around the corner. For incoming first years, this can bring an array of emotions ranging from excitement to anxiety. Many upper year students have the amazing opportunity to guide the incoming students or “frosh” in many capacities, such as by being a frosh leader, online mentor, or simply giving a few words of encouragement. To all the frosh leaders out there, I’m sure it is your intentions to give your frosh meaningful advice, and calm their anxiety; however, some of your advice may not set them on the right path. So frosh leaders, here are five things you shouldn’t say to your frosh:
1. “Your Grades in First Year Don’t Matter”
I’m sure you mean well in saying this, I’m sure your intentions are to alleviate some of the academic related anxiety your frosh might have, but this simply just isn’t true. Grades in first year do matter. If your frosh plan on pursuing opportunities such as medical school or law school after their undergraduate, their first-year grades will be considered. Even if they don’t plan on pursuing these routes, having good first-year grades can grant them amazing opportunities such as work-study/research positions, academic scholarships, and greater academic confidence. If you’re a frosh reading this, don’t be discouraged if your first-year grades aren’t as stellar as you want them to be, you will have plenty of time to progress as you become more acquainted with the university pace. But frosh leaders, please encourage the frosh to work hard and try their very best in first year rather than have a dismissive attitude.
2. “Make sure you have a friend to take notes for you so that you can skip class”
There are two major problems with this statement, one: subconsciously encouraging your frosh that it’s okay to skip class is NOT OKAY. Two: relying on other people’s notes may not guarantee you academic success. It is important to go to class whenever possible.To the frosh; I would only encourage you to miss a class only if you are dealing with mental or physical illness, facing family situations, or unable to commute due to inclement weather. Secondly, remember that everybody takes notes differently. Your friend may neglect to take notes on things you deem important, or their notes might be too detailed for your liking.Therefore relying on a friend for notes should be used in addition to your own notes and/or sparingly.
3. “You have to go to frosh week!”
Not going to lie, I thought frosh week was amazing! The big group games, the parades, the overwhelming school spirit, and the countless friendships formed were incredible, but this may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Although frosh week was fun, it was also exhausting. Although there are countless opportunities to make friends, people who are introverted or shy may feel overwhelmed in these situations. Therefore, if frosh week doesn’t sound like something you want to be apart of, there is no shame in that! There are many other ways to make connections during the first few weeks of school, so frosh leaders, encourage incoming frosh to participate in the many social opportunities U of T has to offer.
4. “Join lots of clubs”
All work and no play do not make for a good university experience. Clubs can be vital for providing social connections and a much-needed break from studying. However, I believe the phrase “quality over quantity” applies to joining university clubs. Frosh leaders, encourage your frosh to try out multiple clubs, however also encourage them to look for between 2-3 clubs/organizations on campus that truly allow them to feel as if they are part of a community. Not all clubs provide this community feeling, therefore joining many of them may simply only fill your frosh’s calendar rather than help them find the friends and connections they want. Keep in mind your frosh all need to adjust to the pace of university academic life, therefore they should ease into university social life at a steady pace to prevent them from feeling overwhelmed. As they adjust, encourage them to take on commitments that they truly enjoy and gain from. For any frosh reading this, U of T offers many different clubs and opportunities, you can find out more about these clubs at the University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU) club fair and the Club Fair Directory.
5. “Nobody Does Well in Their First Year”
As a frosh, this was told to me several times, and it was awfully discouraging! Frosh leaders, the fact that “nobody does well in first year” is an untrue and discouraging statement to tell your frosh. Your frosh have the potential to do very well in first year with a combination of good work-life balance, taking courses that meet your academic strengths, proper use of academic resources (i.e. using writing centres, attending office hours, forming study groups etc.) and choosing courses that fit their strengths. Instead of telling your frosh nobody does well, tell them how they can do well because it is more than possible.
To all the frosh leaders, thank you for taking the time to be there for the frosh, but remember to choose your words carefully. To the frosh, congratulations and welcome to U of T! Get ready for the journey these next 4-5 years will be!
Edited by Veronika Potylitsina