After a stressful last year of high school and a period of uncertainty when applying to university, you have finally arrived at your last summer before university! Although starting university can be an exciting new journey, it can feel daunting for many people, especially with so much to prepare. So here are five things to do before starting university as a freshman!
Written by Jiesi Zhang
Start saving up and sorting out your finances
University can be quite expensive. As a result, it is important to organize your finances before going into school so that you can budget accordingly for your first year.
Finance management can include setting up a student bank account, applying for bursaries at your university, or applying to OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program) to receive grants and loans.
In addition, there are also many student discounts that you can take advantage of, such as:
Apple: Students can save up to $250 and receive one free AirPods when purchasing select MacBooks, iPad, and other Apple devices
Microsoft: Offering free Office 365 Education (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, OneDrive, and Teams)
Amazon Student: Includes a 6-month free trial of Amazon Prime and 50% off the membership after 6 months
Make a packing list of what to bring to university
If you are planning to live outside of home, such as in residence or renting out an apartment, it is best to make a packing list to help you organize the things you need to bring to your new living space.
Your packing list can range from simple essential things, like toiletries and clothes, to even personal items, like photos or your favourite pillow, that you should bring to make your living space more homey!
Network with your future classmates and peers
It’s always a good idea to meet your future classmates before going into university so that you can start forming new relationships and connections. Especially with many unfamiliar faces in the crowd, it can be quite scary and intimidating to start university all alone.
Therefore, join your class social media group chats and reach out to your fellow peers from the same program through social media, like Facebook or Linkedin, so that you can introduce yourself!
Spend quality time with your family and friends
Going away for university may also mean not being able to see your loved ones for a few months. And despite the exhilaration and chaos that come with the start of university, homesickness is expected to happen once you begin to settle in.
Therefore, squeeze out some quality time with your family and friends, and make the most out of it before the summer ends! Go on a road trip, have a picnic or even just enjoy one another's company over some good food!
Explore the area around your university campus
Before going into university, you can also try visiting the city of your university so that you can familiarize yourself with your new surroundings.
This can include exploring the local shops and restaurants nearby, or locating the nearest transportation station so that you can plan your trips back home.
Just simply walking around the city can allow you to discover what your new home has to offer!
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