This post is for my introverts, my online students, and my (generally) socially awkward weirdos who sometimes find it hard to get what they want in University. In addition, it’s for those who are new to the post-secondary experience (congratulations!), or those who simply don’t have time to scour your university’s website trying to find what you need. Here are a few things I think EVERYONE should use if you’re paying tuition in college:
The Writing Centre/Student Academic Services – Academic Services’ job is more than helping those with accommodations. They also help with essay writing, including how to outline and formulate college-level paragraphs. They can also help with setting schedules to stay on track academically; my school gave us access to a system that once you put in the due date of an assignment and your start date, it’ll assign you tasks to ensure you complete it on time. I’m sure there are other things available in the academic centre as well, but these are the ones I found most useful.
The Library – These lovely people help with research. Which is a big deal if you’re in a social sciences program like I was. During my first semester, I randomly emailed the librarian in charge of helping with a specific topic and she showed me how to use the research website provided by my school, she gave me suggestions on what to type in the search bar, how to choose good articles and how to brainstorm topics that are interesting and relevant. Lovely people. 12/10.
Peer Mentoring Services – I am biased toward this service because I volunteer as a mentor at my school. We basically answer any questions you have about navigating the school and the resources. For example, I’ve helped people figure out how to start study groups, talk to their professors, and connect them to the resources available. If you’re lucky, your mentor/mentee will be in the same program as you and may be able to give you some insight into what to expect, but if not, they can always direct you to whom you can ask. They’re like older, nice siblings, who want to see you win.
Career Services – This department helps with resume building, and interviewing skills as well as giving tips on how to construct a good cover letter. For example, it wasn’t until I used the service at my school that I realized you should cater each resume to the job and put the most relevant things first. Sometimes they put on career fairs, which can help you with finding internships, full-time jobs or research assistant positions. This is more helpful for things outside your academic career but still imperative.
The Gym/Student Clubs – Social life and mental health are very important, especially in these years of your life. Being active helps to alleviate stress and keeps you physically healthy, while student clubs help with mental health and peer interaction/community building. Win/win if you get to be in a club that’s also active and it’s a great way to network at school.
Your professors and TAs – These were probably my most under-utilized resources during my first year of college. I was so scared to ask questions for fear of feeling dumb, so I would spend hours on my own trying to understand concepts. They’re paid to answer your questions, so use them wisely. If you’re scared to ask a question in class (though this would be better to build rapport), or if your program is online like mine, post on your class’ discussion forums frequently and email the course email to ask questions or point out interesting things. I even link to outside resources I’ve used to help with a specific topic.
Any Free On-Campus or Virtual Events – At the very least, there’s usually food during on-campus events (so I’ve heard). For online students, it’s an opportunity to connect with people. If you don’t find yourself gravitating towards anyone specifically, have no fear, I’ve seen some universities have ‘study sessions’ or ‘power study groups’ to help foster motivation when studying. And you don’t have to speak out loud. However, free on-campus events will usually help your experience and maybe teach you something your college offers that you never knew existed.
Honourable Mention: The free version of the Grammarly App – seriously. This saves you time writing essays, discussion posts, emails, etc. I used the free version for my first year and the paid version for my final two years. I’ll probably keep using it as long as I’m in school.
Each school has different resources. The ones I’ve listed are based on my experience in 2 universities and 1 college in Canada. Most I’ve used while some I wish I used more as they could’ve changed my grades or my sense of loneliness while in post-secondary.
I hope this post was helpful!