First-year advice from former students
A quick survey of returning students
and Fanshawe alumni to find
out what students would tell their
first-year self revealed a lot of great
information for new students. Here
are the top five tips that were
shared.
1. People Don't Become Successful By Sheer Luck
If you want to be successful, you will have to work for it. Your classes have to be your first priority. You will need to be organized and aware of when your next assignment is due. You will need to attend classes. Remember that you will get out of college what you put into it.
2. Get Involved
Try extracurricular activities, such as student council. You can meet like-minded people, make friends, network and build skills. Try something that you are interested in and something that will add to your resume when you finish your program and start looking for your first post-college job.
3. Instructors And Staff Are Valuable Resources
The instructors want you to succeed, so ask questions and get to know them. Try to make a good impression with your instructors and counsellors — you may be able to use them to network later on and they may even help you with a reference one day when you're hunting for a job. "Students should always communicate with their faculty and student success advisor if they are concerned about their grades and progress. Assuming everything is okay is not enough; your SSA is a great resource that will keep you on track," said Zack Dodge, Fanshawe Student Union President and Corporate Communications and Public Relations grad.
4. Your Failures Will Teach You As Much As Your Successes
Everyone around you is probably going through similar issues, so don't be too hard on yourself if you find you're having a hard time juggling all of your assignments or if you make a mistake. Admit it to yourself and do your best to fix it, then move on.
5. Find Your Balance
You can balance everything. Too much school and not enough social time will not make a good college experience, but too much socializing and not enough school time will make for a disastrous college experience. "Go into school telling yourself that you are there to build a career for yourself. These years in college will depict what you do with the rest of your life — take it seriously, but enjoy yourself at the same time. These will be some of the best years of your life, but they will fly by, so enjoy it while it lasts," said Andrew Buttigieg, Broadcast Journalism grad.
1. People Don't Become Successful By Sheer Luck
If you want to be successful, you will have to work for it. Your classes have to be your first priority. You will need to be organized and aware of when your next assignment is due. You will need to attend classes. Remember that you will get out of college what you put into it.
2. Get Involved
Try extracurricular activities, such as student council. You can meet like-minded people, make friends, network and build skills. Try something that you are interested in and something that will add to your resume when you finish your program and start looking for your first post-college job.
3. Instructors And Staff Are Valuable Resources
The instructors want you to succeed, so ask questions and get to know them. Try to make a good impression with your instructors and counsellors — you may be able to use them to network later on and they may even help you with a reference one day when you're hunting for a job. "Students should always communicate with their faculty and student success advisor if they are concerned about their grades and progress. Assuming everything is okay is not enough; your SSA is a great resource that will keep you on track," said Zack Dodge, Fanshawe Student Union President and Corporate Communications and Public Relations grad.
4. Your Failures Will Teach You As Much As Your Successes
Everyone around you is probably going through similar issues, so don't be too hard on yourself if you find you're having a hard time juggling all of your assignments or if you make a mistake. Admit it to yourself and do your best to fix it, then move on.
5. Find Your Balance
You can balance everything. Too much school and not enough social time will not make a good college experience, but too much socializing and not enough school time will make for a disastrous college experience. "Go into school telling yourself that you are there to build a career for yourself. These years in college will depict what you do with the rest of your life — take it seriously, but enjoy yourself at the same time. These will be some of the best years of your life, but they will fly by, so enjoy it while it lasts," said Andrew Buttigieg, Broadcast Journalism grad.
