Acadia University
Wolfville, Nova Scotia B0P 1X0
(902) 585-1362 Fax (902) 585-1072News Release
For Release: August 14 , 2001Gearing up for campus life
(Wolfville, NS) - As the warm summer days draw to a close it is time to prepare for back to school. For those starting university for the first time it is a big step both academically and socially. What new students need is a good mix of sound advice and fun-filled activities to introduce them to campus life. That is exactly what first-year students get during Welcome Week events. It is important for new students to feel comfortable so that they might have the opportunity to grow both academically and personally.According to Acadia students, the following are the top 10 things students should know before heading off to university:
10) Adjust yourself from a high school state of mind. You are very independent and free at university - this makes it easy to let things slip. Use your freedom wisely.
9) Be wary of your work schedule. Don't load up on extracurricular activities until you have your academic workload under control.
8) Studying is not nerdy. People attend university to receive an education. You will find the campus packed with people who study; most likely you will see these people having a great time, too!
7) If you get sick, contact your professor. Contacting your professor is acting in a mature and responsible manner with regard to your university career.
6) Surround yourself with people who stimulate you intellectually. If you keep the company of friends who share your goals and ambitions, together you will be a support network for each other's success.
5) Make sure you are emotionally ready for university. Make certain that you are attending university because you want to.
4) There is always something to study. Don't assume that just because you don't have assignments, that you don't have anything to do. Reviewing or reading ahead will ensure that you are ready when the exam comes.
3) Monitor your partying nights. It is important to unwind and relax. However, if you find yourself out late, several nights a week, it will affect your academics regardless of how hard you work during the day.
2) Go to class!! It is easy to skip class. However, attending all your classes, paying attention and participating will help ensure your success.
1) Be an active student. Active students take responsibility for their own actions and take control of their own destinies.
Welcome Week activities set the foundation for the transition to university, blending fun and games with an introduction to academia. Heather Rushton, Acadia's student Welcome Week Coordinator says, "The purpose of Welcome Week is to embrace students and their families, helping them to feel part of the university community while providing an explanation of what it means to be a student in general."
To help students begin to focus on their academic journey Acadia University hosts special Welcome Week events such as the matriculation ceremony where new students dress in academic gowns and are officially admitted to the University in an event filled with tradition and pageantry. Academic orientation at Acadia introduces new students to the faculties in their fields of study and helps them meet friends in their programs who could be potential study buddies. Acadia offers "arrival and survival" sessions for both students and their families. Healthy relationship sessions during Welcome Week assist students with the development of communication skills to assist them with dealing with residence living and dating at university. Acadia's Welcome Week goes the extra mile to encourage new students to become involved.
University years are a memorable time of life. Academic and social lessons extend beyond the university experience well into the future. Acadia's Welcome Week does its part to prepare students to meet the challenges new students face and lays a foundation for an exciting four years at university.
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For more information contact:
Sheri Woodland
Communications Manager
Office of Public Affairs
Acadia University
(902) 585-1362
Acadia HomePublished by: The Office of Public Affairs
Last revised: August 14, 2001
URL: http://www.acadiau.ca/whatsnew/newsrelease/2001/Gearing_up_Aug14.html