First Day Jitters? Here's the Scoop on all you'll need on day 1 !!

With the summer coming to an end, you're probably starting to get some butterflies flying around in your stomach. I know that when on my first day I had to give myself a pep talk to just get out of bed. But I promise you it's not as overwhelming as it might seem at first. Going to University for the first time is A LOT for anyone, so if you think you're the only one whose worried, you are not alone!

Here's a check-list of things that might help you get through your first day of school!


1.  Your class schedule: You'd be surprised at how many students don't actually print it and bring it with them. It has all the info on it that you'll need to find the LOCATION and the START and END time of all your classes. Make sure you print it out and bring it with you on day 1.

2.  A campus map: If you don't want to get too lost then you should have a campus map with you. Don't worry if you do get lost that's what the RED Zone is for. WE GIVE DIRECTIONS!! Come visit us we have maps and we know where everything is!

3.  A reusable water bottle and snacks: We have lots of hydration stations all over campus where you can get free filtered water, having a reusable bottle means you can skip the line ups at the restaurants and shops and save a little money. Also you're allowed to eat in class so having a small snack with you to munch on in classes or between them will mean that you won't disrupt the class with a growling stomach.

4. Bring some music: It can be a little boring waiting between classes or walking between classes, so having some music might make the down time between classes less boring.

5.  Bring things to write with or on: whether it's your laptop, ipad, tablet or the basic pen and paper, you'll need something to write on and with. Prof's usually go over the syllabus and they may even give a short lecture. You'll want to write down important things the prof says about due dates and assignments.

**Lots of students ask me if it's better to take notes with a laptop or with a pen and paper. Honestly it all depends on the prof, some are pretty old school and don't like laptops in their lectures, some are really tech savvy and encourage students to use laptops. Also some profs speak quickly and it might be easier for people to type notes than to write them. On the first day of class you'll be able to determine which note-taking utensil is best for you.**

Things you probably won't need for the first day of school.

1.  Don't bring every book for every class you're taking: Chances are that you will not need all the assigned books for the first day of class. Typically profs don't lecture for the entire class on the very first day so you probably won't be expected to have all your books with you. Also that might be a lot to carry, and you don't want to tire yourself out carrying all your books around on day 1. 

2.  Don't bring your final high school transcript: Unless the student services has asked for your transcript, you won't need it on your first day. Some times people think that profs will want to look at your grades, honestly profs assume that if you're in their class then you have a certain level of knowledge. You don't have to prove everything on the first day. 

3.  Don't bring every single school supply you own: You're not going to need to have scissors, glue, a stapler, a staple remover, paper clips, colour pencils, markers...etc. on the first day. Just make sure that you have at least one working pen and you'll be fine. Sometimes people bring entire office supply stores with them on the first day and it just ends up taking up space in their backpacks.