Useful advice from your educational predecessors; learn the hard lessons easy.
Introduction
Welcome back to this week's edition of the Project Uni Blog! To preface, most of you are probably in high school, and are probably worried about your future. It's pertinent that you, the person reading this right now, understand that it's totally normal to feel this way! It's natural to feel nervous or anxious about your future, and you're certainly not alone. Thus, we prepared some juicy takes from university students about their biggest regrets, tips, and what they wish they knew in grade 12!
1. Self-care
Among the responses we received, the most common were those preaching mental health, and advocating for yourself. Despite the increasing importance of marks, it's pertinent that you recognize your own needs and make sure you're fit to continue learning. No wiithout further ado, here is some of their advice:
"In grade 12, I wish that I knew how many supports were available to me as an incoming university student. The university wants to retain you as a student, and so they have supports and services that can help aid you in transitioning from high school to post-secondary. Also, don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you can think of and talk to as many people as you can in whatever way you're able to!" - Melissa B.
"I wish I knew that as much as marks are important, so is finding a healthy balance between school & social life! This will be really essential for you in university so it’s best you start early!" - Priyanka R.
"What I personally wish I knew in grade 12 was how okay it is to actually take time for yourself. Self care is very important and it can range from just laying in bed for five minutes or going the full length by watching an hour-long movie and eating snacks. Whatever it is, you must try and regulate time for yourself so that you have an equal balance of work and relaxation!" - Tuqa A.
2. Academics
Throughout high school, the pressure to decide the path you'll take begins to pile up. It's important to not take that decision lightly and to put some thought into it; after all, it's what you'll likely be doing for the next few years even after you graduate. In the immortal words of Bill Nye the Science Guy, "Consider the following":
"Learn the difference between Med Sci Vs. Gen Sci Vs. Life Sci, etc. Universities seem to have programs with similar names and as high school students its very hard to tell the difference." - Anonymous
"Learn about the different career opportunities related to each program; do your research!" - Anonymous
"Back in Grade 12, I wish I had explored more programs and conducted more research on what different programs offered. In addition, it's really hard to know what field you want to go into, so I also wish I had taken a gap year to really explore my interests and gain new experiences before heading off to university." - Adrienne A.
3. Extracurriculars
Finally, we received a bit of advice on how to navigate extracurriculars in post-secondary. Take a look at this:
1. "What I wish I knew when I was in grade 12 is how important it is to get involved with school events, clubs and organizations, and professors from the start of university. Specifically, I wish I was able to make strong connections with my professors as it will be helpful in grad school application but, I never really knew how important it was." - Kate H.