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Anonymous (Year 2)
What did you wish you knew before going to your university? What made you choose this institution over all others? What are advantages and disadvantages of your institution or campus? List any advice for incoming first-year students about your university.
I chose the University of Toronto because I knew that was where I would receive the most quality education and be able to realize my full potential. Any advice I would give first-year students is to make the most of their time at UofT and get involved as much as possible. I would also advise them to keep up with their readings and stay on top of their homework/assignments.
What did you wish you knew before choosing your specific program? What are the advantages and disadvantages of your program? List any advice for incoming first-year students about your program of study.
Before choosing my specific program, I wish that I had been more aware of how much reading one had to do in order to be successful. The readings throughout the program truly set you up to be successful and the best student you can be, and it can be incredibly difficult to do well if you are not caught up with course readings and material.
What was your favourite university experience?
My best experience at university has been being able to learn about what I love and what I am passionate about. It has been so much more motivating and exciting to be able to learn about things which I am interested in and will later pursue a career in. It has also been great being able to meet new people, and experiencing everything the university has to offer.
What was your least favourite university experience?
My worst university experience was the first week of first year. It was quite challenging trying to make the transition from high school to university, where the environments are so different, and trying to adjust to all of these changes so quickly.
What is the hardest part about your program and what were the steps that you took to overcome any difficulties?
The most difficult part about my program is the complexity of the content which we are learning. The majority of our content delves incredibly deep into political reasoning and political thought, as well as philosophical thought. To overcome these difficulties, I made sure to re-read and re-write all material and made sure I understood these concepts as thoroughly as I could in order to succeed.
If you were able to take electives, what was your favourite elective? If you were not able to take electives, what was your favourite course and why?
My favourite course so far has been POL101: Democracy, Dictatorship, War and Peace. I found this course to be incredibly interesting and relevant to what I wanted to learn about. I had learned so many concepts that I was unaware of before and I found the course material to be pertinent to society today.
Additional Comments
Remember to always take care of yourself and your mental health before your school work because you will not be able to do well and succeed if you're not feeling healthy.