Divyanshi is a Biology student at York University who enjoys writing about student life, campus experiences and the occasional lessons learned along the way. Between classes, campus events and figuring things out as she goes, she’s just trying to make sense of the chaos that comes with life.
When I arrived at York for my first week, I was excited but also overwhelmed. Everyone seemed to know where they were going, and I felt like the only one who was confused and nervous. Looking back, I realize those feelings were completely normal. If I could go back in time and give myself a few pieces of advice, these would be at the top of my list!
Don't skip Orientation, it makes a bigger difference than you think
Before starting university, I assumed Orientation and Orientation Week (also called O-week or Frosh Week) were just other social events on my calendar. I almost skipped them, but I’m so glad I didn’t.
Orientation gave me a chance to explore the campus even before classes began, meet students from my program and learn about student resources that I didn’t even know existed.
It also made the first day of classes feel much less intimidating because I already knew my way around and recognized some familiar faces. If you’re still deciding whether to attend Orientation, I definitely recommend checking out York’s Orientation events to find one that’s right for you.
Give yourself extra time to get around campus
One thing that surprised me the most was how long it can sometimes take to walk between some of the buildings. During the first week, I started leaving earlier than I thought I needed to, and it saved me from being late to class.
Pro tip: Taking a campus tour beforehand helped me a lot with navigating where all my classes were. Downloading a campus map also made it much easier to find classrooms and important locations like libraries and student services.
Trust me, it’s much less stressful to arrive early rather than sprinting across campus to find the right building!
Know your schedule before your first day and get your YU-card
Don’t wait until the last minute to figure out where you’re going. Before classes start, I recommend checking your timetable and locating each classroom. If your schedule changes, York’s Visual Schedule Builder is a great tool to keep track of everything. Another thing I wish I did early was getting my YU-card. Getting it early meant I didn’t have to worry about it later and it gave me access to campus services.
These small steps don’t take long, but they make your first week at York feel much smoother!