As our winter term comes to an end here at St. Jerome’s, the campus is really winding down. Students are finishing up their very last exams before switching gears for summer co-op placements, spring term classes, or other warm weather adventures. It’s been bittersweet to watch as the St. Jerome’s residence building has slowly emptied out – bitter because this year’s cohort of first year students were absolutely incredible, and so sweet because the Student Affairs team is already excited to welcome all of you, our newest group of SJU students, come fall. The end of this term also means the end of my co-op placement as the Outreach and Recruitment Associate. It has been such a blast getting to meet so many of you when you’ve come to visit and I am so looking forward to getting to know you better in the fall!

Before I leave this blog in the capable hands of our next Outreach and Recruitment Associate, I have one last post to guide you on your way to a successful first year of university life. Without further ado, here are my top 8 tips for easing into university!

This day is all about YOU (at Waterloo)! It’s a by-invitation open house event dedicated to students who have received an offer of admission to SJU/Waterloo. You’ll have the opportunity to check out our residence, try the food in our cafeteria, and have all of your questions answered. If you’ve been accepted to an Arts program at St. Jerome’s, this is your chance to start making connections! Keep an eye on your inbox for an email invitation to the most exclusive event of the season: The SJU Admitted Students’ Reception!

 

This one is important. If you want to live at St. Jerome’s, you must fill out the Residence Community Ranking Form by the June 3^rd deadline and you must rank St. Jerome’s as your #1 choice in order to be considered. I remember doing this myself three years ago – and I am SO excited for you!

 

Arts 101 Day is another fantastic opportunity to orient yourself and set yourself up for success in the fall! Attend your first Arts lecture, learn about the resources available to you on campus and meet upper-year students, staff and professors. Starting June 1^st, you can register for Arts 101 Day here.

 

Let’s get real, one of the most stressful parts of preparing for university can be the finances. Depending on your academics, your extra-curricular involvements and other factors, you may be eligible for scholarships! Take a look at the Undergraduate Awards Database here and the St. Jerome’s Entrance Scholarships here to find more details!

 

Orientation Week is an incredible whirlwind of moving in, meeting new people, learning about resources, and, well, orienting yourself in a new place. It’s a lot, and it’s important to remember that it’s intentionally designed to help you succeed. I promise that stepping a little bit outside of your comfort zone will be okay, and remember that everyone is in the same boat.

 

Times of change are a great opportunity to set manageable goals and strive towards them! Whether your goal is to make two new friends, take up yoga, or simply to attend all of your classes, you absolutely have the power to do what you want to do! Make sure that your goals are realistic and don’t be too hard on yourself when they take time to accomplish – all good things do.

 

When else in your life will you have the opportunity to join a club dedicated to the joys of cheese? To consult with a career advisor? To access free and confidential counselling services? Do what you need to do to get the very most out of your university experience!

 

This is going to be a big transition and no one expects you to have it all figured out. It’ll be a process and you will have the full support of everyone here at St. Jerome’s every step of the way. Take care of yourself as you grow on this new journey, you deserve it!

 

Well friends, that’s about it from me! It’s been a pleasure to write this blog and meet some of you this term. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you in the fall!

 

If you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, please reach out to our Admissions and Recruitment Specialist Rebecca Rucurean at rrucurean@uwaterloo.ca.