Five First-Year Myths

Going to university is amazing but it can be a nerve-racking experience, especially for those who are travelling and living in Sudbury for the first time. The first year is a unique experience which allows to create all sorts of new friendships and learn more about yourself while trying out things you might have never done before! But there are a lot of myths surrounding what the first year is actually like, and I’m here to bust those myths. Here are five popular first-year myths:

The “Freshman 15”

I’m sure you’ve heard this one before. There is a very popular myth that everyone gains weight in their first year. Some say that this weight is unavoidable. While this is possible, it is entirely inaccurate. Nothing about university will make you gain any weight, and there are many things you can do to ensure you maintain a healthy lifestyle. There are intramurals every day of the week, as well as free access to the gym and free public swims and rock climbing on specific days of the week. On top of this, there is a very large option of healthy choices at the Great Hall for those who purchase a meal plan.

You can skip classes

This is a less popular myth but is a very important one to bust as following it can jeopardize your academic success. Everyone is different in the way that they study, learn, and do homework. Some people are better and learning by listening than by writing down notes. But there is one truth, you should go to class. I skipped class quite frequently in my first year because I wanted to have the ‘college experience’ and have fun. Instead of going to class, I was just watching Netflix. This is when I realized that not only am I not engaging with people in my program, but I am wasting my time and getting behind in my studies. Just go to class. Trust me, you won’t miss anything.

You and your roommate will either be best friends or enemies

The next first-year myth is the belief that you and your roommate will either be best friends or enemies. This is completely false, your relationship between you and your roommate will rely entirely on your patience and honesty with each other. Luckily for me, I knew my roommate going into university since he was a childhood friend. We hadn’t seen each other in a long time, but we clicked right off the bat and had a lot of fun that year. However, a lot of people don’t have as easy of a time living with another person. For many, this is their first time sharing a room with somebody else, especially a stranger. It can be complicated when someone else might have different interests or a different sleep schedule. Nonetheless, you should both try to be as accommodating as possible and try your best to be cooperative. In the end, living with someone else is challenging but the experience and companionship you gain are priceless.

Sleep, social life, and school: pick two

This is another popular myth about going away to college is that you won’t have enough time to sleep, do good in school, AND have a social life. This myth says that you must sacrifice one of these things. However, this is also false. With the right scheduling, you will find that you actually have a lot more free time than you think. Personally, I use the Calendar app on my laptop and set activities for specific points of the day so I know exactly how much time I will have to get all my necessary tasks done. This might seem a little too much for many, but it can be a necessary task for time management. Always be sure to not commit yourself to too many things and you’ll be able to handle all three!

University is just partying

This is probably the biggest myth about college and probably your parents’ biggest fear. But the reality is that there is not that much partying at school. Sometimes there will be occasions to enjoy some drinks with your friends, but it should not be the basis of your time at school. It is just a small aspect of social life and at the end of the day, it is always your choice to engage in drinking or not. No one will pressure you to party if you don’t want to. So no, college is not just partying because even if you do decide to drink, school should always be your top priority. There is far more to a proper social life than drinking. However, there are certainly opportunities to go out and have some fun if you want!